A GARDA VAN has been set alight and gardaí have been targeted with missiles outside the Citywest Hotel in west Dublin, following a protest organised in the wake of the alleged sexual assault of a young girl in the area in recent days.

There was a large Garda presence in the area as big crowds began turning up to there from around 7pm this evening.

The protest soon turned violent and the Garda vehicle was set on fire as people at the gathering chanted anti-immigrant slogans including: “Get them out!” 

Rioters also threw bricks and shot fireworks at gardaí, who have been responding to skirmishes by using incapacitant spray. 

The Garda helicopter was hovering overhead and a water cannon has been deployed to the scene.

A number of people remain at the scene.

Anti-immigration groups and fringe far-right political parties had been promoting the protest earlier today, and a number of prominent figures from Ireland’s far-right movement attended the gathering this evening.

Last night, a much smaller group of people gathered but that demonstration passed without significant incident. 

Public order gardaí on the scene Rollingnews Rollingnews

‘Not who we are’ 

The events in west Dublin were condemned by Fine Gael’s presidential candidate Heather Humphreys in her opening remarks in tonight’s debate on RTÉ One.

“If anybody knows anybody at those riots tonight, please tell them to go home. This is not what we are as a country.”

The Garda van burning outside the Citywest Hotel in west Dublin Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

She later said Ireland needs immigrants to support the economy, but those people “who are coming here illegally” need to be sent home

Humphreys’ opponent, independent candidate Catherine Connolly said that “we really need to be very careful in this country”, which she said was “a land of welcomes” and that “things have been conflated”, regarding people seeking international protection and those coming here to work.

In a statement this evening, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said that the scenes outside the Citywest site “must be condemned”.

“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the gardaí. Those involved will be brought to justice,” O’Callaghan said.

O’Callaghan added that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in Saggart in relation to the alleged assault and that no correlation exists between crime levels and the presence of asylum seeker accommodation centres. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin similarly condemned the “violent disorder” outside the Citywest site.

“I pay tribute to the frontline gardaí who acted courageously and quickly to restore order,” Martin said in a statement.

“There can be no justification for the vile abuse against them, or the attempted assaults and attacks on members of the force that will shock all right-thinking people.”

A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named because of the nature of the case, appeared in court today in relation to the alleged incident.

The crowd gathered outside the Citywest Hotel The Journal The Journal

Luas service between the Belgard and Saggart stations has been suspended following a Garda directive, the tram company said this evening. 

O’Callaghan said he had been briefed by gardaí and senior officials from the Department of Justice on the incident over the last two days, adding that he has asked his top civil servant for “a detailed account of the management of the asylum application process in this case”. 

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People watch the Garda van burning in Citywest Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

“As has been made clear during the day, a man has been arrested and charged before the courts in relation to the alleged incident.

“While I am not in a position to comment any further on this criminal investigation, I have been advised that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area,” O’Callaghan said.

A Garda van burns outside the Citywest Hotel in west Dublin Rollingnews Rollingnews

“Unfortunately, the weaponising of a crime by people who wish to sow dissent in our society is not unexpected. The gardaí are prepared for this, but attacking gardaí and property is not an answer, and won’t help to make anyone feel safe.”

O’Callaghan added that the violence “does not reflect the people of Saggart”.

“Attacks on Gardaí will not be tolerated. Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not. There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed tonight.”

Contains reporting by Stephen McDermott and Andrew Walsh

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