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Irish police forces confronted hundreds of protesters outside a Dublin hotel accommodating asylum seekers following allegations of a attack on a child.

Violent Clashes and Property Damage

The crowd set fire to a officer car and threw pyrotechnics and other missiles at law enforcement near the southwest Dublin facility on Tuesday evening.

Reports indicate the protesters – some of whom waved Irish flags and carried anti-immigrant placards – numbered up to two thousand individuals.

Context of the Incident

The disturbances erupted a day after a individual was charged in relation to an reported attack. News outlets reported that the accused was a adult asylum seeker and that the reported target was a 10-year-old child who was assaulted at or near the Dublin accommodation center, located in the Saggart area.

Although a limited demonstration near the facility passed without incident on the previous day, on the following evening a significantly bigger crowd threw rocks and road markers. Additionally, a police van was set on fire.

Police Response

Law enforcement, including those equipped with protective gear, head protection and horses, dispersed the demonstrators.

A senior government official condemned the disturbances. “Unfortunately, the weaponising of a crime by individuals who wish to create division in our society is not unexpected,” the official stated in a declaration.

They continued: “This is unacceptable and will lead to a strong reaction from the police. Those involved will be brought to justice. Attacks on law enforcement will not be accepted. Non-violent demonstration is a cornerstone of our society. Aggression is not.”

Wider Situation

Protests opposing immigrants and asylum seekers have increased in frequency in the past few years, with demonstrators claiming the arrivals of exacerbating a accommodation crisis and contributing to violent crime.

Far-right agitators have used online platforms and rallies to promote a narrative that “the country has reached capacity.”

Comparable rioting broke out in the city center in late 2023 after a individual stabbed three children near a elementary institution. In the summer, groups targeted foreigners in Ballymena following an alleged sexual assault. Protests outside asylum seeker hotels and centers also spread across England during the warmer months.

Further Information

Previously that day, the country's child and family agency confirmed that the reported target of the recent incident had been in state care at the moment and that she had “absconded” during a visit to the downtown area.

Speaking in parliament, the taoiseach acknowledged “public worry, frustration and anxiety of many people” over the reported incident. “Clearly, there has been shortcomings here in terms of the state's responsibility to safeguard this young person.”