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FOR CLOSE TO two hours last night, gardaí came under attack from rioters outside the Citywest accommodation centre.
Six people were arrested and one garda was injured.
Of those arrested, five adult men – two in their 50s and three in their 40s – have been charged with public order offences.
It came hours after a 26-year-old man was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a young girl on Garter Lane, the roadway that leads alongside the front of the Citywest complex, on Monday.
From early yesterday morning, posters were being shared on social media calling for a public assembly at the Citywest Hotel “to support Citywest residents”.
The gathering was scheduled for 7.30pm, and a number of online accounts shared the poster, which had an AI image of a worn tricolour and three figures of soldiers, stating that the assembly should be peaceful.
However, it was anticipated in advance that the gathering could become violent.
It’s understood that yesterday afternoon, requests had been made for additional gardaí to be deployed to the area in anticipation of the demonstration.
Luas Red Line services between Belgard and Saggart were suspended ahead of the protest following a directive from Gardaí, as were Dublin Bus services to Saggart.
People began to gather at Citywest from 7pm, and the gathering began to turn violent around half an hour later.
Over the course of around two hours, bricks and bottles were thrown at gardaí and a garda van was set alight.
A cordon was formed in front of the complex, which those gathered attempted to breach several times by charging the line, including with horse-drawn sulkies.
Pepper spray was used to try to keep them back.
Large crowds chanted “get them out”, referring to international protection applicants staying in the hotel.
Many of the events were livestreamed on social media platforms and videos showing gardaí coming under attack were shared widely online and reached international audiences.
Missiles were directed at the uniformed gardaí at the scene, including bricks and fireworks. Glass bottles taken from bins in the area were also thrown at gardaí.
A Garda van parked in front of the Citywest complex was set alight with a firework.
The Garda Public Order Unit in full riot gear were deployed to the scene, along with the Mounted Unit, Dog Unit and Air Support Unit.
The water cannon was also deployed at around 9pm but not used.
Individuals were observed carrying implements such as garden forks and tools and damaging walls in the locality to obtain missiles.
The garda helicopter was also targeted with lasers.
Calm was restored by 10pm last night and a clean-up operation is now ongoing.
The metal gates on the perimeter of the hotel’s grounds were broken last night and many bricks are visible on the other side.
Gardaí towed away the burned out Garda van this morning and investigators are on the scene which remains preserved.
Concerned locals also stopped by to chat with gardaí at the entrance this morning. One man said he lives nearby and couldn’t get home because of the crowds.
He told The Journal that he went out initially to peacefully protest himself and left as soon as objects started being hurled at gardaí.
“It’s not a way for people to express their concerns, look at the absolute state of this place this morning, it’s a disgrace. People came who are not from here,” he said.
-With additional reporting from Eimer McAuley
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