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LAST UPDATE | 22 Oct
JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan has joined voices condemning the “violence and thuggery” seen at Citywest last night.
The rioting outside the Citywest complex in west Dublin followed the alleged sexual assault of a young girl who was in state care by a twenty-six-year-old man, who has since been charged.
Gardaí are investigating the violence, which saw a garda van set alight and demonstrators launching bricks, glass bottles and fireworks at garda members.
So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the disorder last night. Five males have appeared before the courts.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, O’Callaghan said: “Gardaí were attacked, they had stones and fireworks thrown at them, groups of people tried to break the cordon that the gardaí had put up to protect the people in Citywest.
“That level of violence against An Garda Síochána who are there to protect all of us is completely unacceptable.”
He added that he wanted to commend the gardaí for the “excellent job” they had done at Citywest last night, where the public order unit, dogs unit, and mounted support unit were deployed.
Pepper spray was used “when necessary” the Minister added. The water cannon was deployed but not used. O’Callaghan said he thought it was a professional response from the police force.
“The criminal justice system is also going to deal with this,” O’Callaghan said. “People are already being charged and I know from speaking to the Commissioner that there will be footage closely examined and further people will be brought before the criminal justice system.”
His party leader Taoiseach Micheál Martin also expressed concern for the gardaí targeted yesterday.
O’Callaghan said that people who been involved in organising the demonstration last night and any potential further demonstrations are “trying to weaponise the terrible criminal act that occurred in respect of that young girl”.
O’Callaghan added that he is “sympathetic” to the “legitimate concerns” held by people living in the local area regarding Citywest. Martin said in the Dáil that the alleged assault on the young girl was a cause for “deep concern”.
Asked about the current makeup of residents at the former Citywest hotel, which was purchased by the state for use as an Ipas centre earlier this year, O’Callaghan said the majority of occupants are Ukrainians who have been given temporary protection.
There are approximately 1,200 Ukrainians in the centre, and approximately 460 international protection applicants, he said.
I want to thank An Garda Síochána for their bravery, courage and professionalism in dealing with a very serious situation last evening.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) October 22, 2025
Our criminal justice system needs to hold the people responsible to account. pic.twitter.com/42mx6VCPpi
The Garda Commissioner told journalists this afternoon that the events of last night did not constitute a “peaceful protest”.
One garda was injured and has received treatment in hospital. The Commissioner said he is “determined” there will be further arrests in relation to the disorder last night.
He said the evidence from the riots in Dublin in November 2o23 shows “young males influenced by online content are the ones who have ended up imprisoned for serious offences”.
“My clear message to persons attending any public gatherings is do not get involved in violent disorder,” he said. “Reckless decisions in this regard may affect the course of your future.”
Earlier today, the Tánaiste condemned the “violent attacks” on gardaí during last night’s rioting.
“I condemn the violent attacks on members of An Garda Síochána outside Citywest last night,” Simon Harris said in a statement this morning.
“There is no excuse for this type of violence and thuggery against the men and women who serve to protect us and victims of crime every day.”
The riot followed a protest organised in the wake of the alleged sexual assault of a young girl in the area in recent days.
Harris said that there is “understandable shock and horror” across the country over the “alleged incident that is now before the courts”.
“The full facts must and will be established as people rightly expect.”
An Garda Síochána have described last night’s violence as “thuggery and an attempt to intimidate and injure”.
“This was not a peaceful protest,” a garda statement said last night.
It said that attempts to breach the Garda cordon were made by charging the line with horse-drawn sulkies.
People were seen by officers carrying garden forks and tools “and damaging walls in the locality to obtain missiles”.
“When you have control, it doesn’t mean you have zero damage,” said Paul Cleary, Deputy Garda Commissioner.
Asked on RTÉ Radio One whether gardaí were wearing the appropriate gear for a riot, Cleary said the soft hats were part of the “graduated response”.
“There were some people there early on in the protest that were there to have a peaceful protest, and we will always facilitate that right. But what we witnessed last night went far beyond that protest. It was a violent riot, driven by thugs.”
He said the gardaí response increased as the night progressed. Regular units were moved back and public order units went to the front. They were equipped with shields and pepper spray.
There was a water cannon on site, but it was not used. However, Cleary said he believed its presence helped deter further escalation.
He said it was a “particularly challenging” night, “but I think our training showed and our preparedness showed”.
He said they are ready, should any more protests or riots take place at Citywest.
Speaking to reporters today, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said his “thoughts and prayers” are with the child involved in the alleged sexual assault.
He described last night’s riot as “completely unacceptable scenes of thuggery and rioting”.
“An attack on a garda is an attack on us all,” he said, adding that An Garda Síochána will bring the perpetrators to justice.
The six arrested were detained primarily for public order offences. It’s likely further arrests will follow as gardaí review footage and launch an investigation into the unrest.
“An Garda Síochána had a policing operation in place for this public gathering organised by disparate groups on social media, who stir up hatred and violence and encourage and entice others to get involved,” a statement said.
Some 300 gardaí were on duty in the area, including over 125 uniform members and 150 Public Order Unit members. The Mounted Unit and Dog Unit were also present.
Public order units were deployed in full protective gear and pepper spray was used to repel attacks, gardaí said.
An investigation has been commenced and a Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed, the statement added.
Additional reporting by Niall O’Connor, Daragh Brophy, David MacRedmond, and Emma Hickey
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