Five due in court following disorder outside asylum seeker hotel near Kildare border

Five men have been charged with public order offences following violent clashes outside a Dublin hotel housing asylum seekers.

The men, two of whom are aged in their 50s and three in their 40s, are due to appear before the city’s Criminal Courts of Justice later on Wednesday morning.

A total of six people were arrested amid the disturbances at the Citywest Hotel on Tuesday night.

A woman in her 50s who was detained has since been released without charge pending a file being prepared for Ireland’s Director of Public Prosecutions.

Police were attacked with missiles and fireworks after violence flared outside the hotel.

A female Garda member injured during the violence has since been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for a foot injury.

A Garda vehicle was also set on fire during the unrest.

The protest outside the hotel came after an alleged sexual assault on a girl in the vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.

Irish premier Micheal Martin condemned the scenes of violence, stating there could be “no justification” for attacks on gardai.

Members of the Garda public order unit were deployed during the disturbances.

Protesters were displaying Irish flags, chanting anti-immigration slogans and throwing missiles.

Garda cordons sustained attacks including physical violence, bricks thrown and fireworks discharged at gardai, as well as the burning of the Garda van.

There were also attempts to charge the Garda line with horse-drawn sulky carts.

Meanwhile, a Garda helicopter overhead was targeted with lasers.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, who visited the scene in the aftermath of the violence, said: “This was obviously not a peaceful protest. The actions this evening can only be described as thuggery. This was a mob intent on violence against Gardai.

“I utterly condemn the attacks on gardai who did their jobs professionally and with great courage to keep people safe.”

He added: “We will now begin the process of identifying those who committed crimes and we will bring those involved in this violence to justice.”

As he spoke with gardai close to the charred remains of the burned out Garda van just after midnight, Commissioner Kelly could be heard telling them how proud he was of their efforts in responding to the disorder.

During the earlier disturbances, a large crowd remained in the area until late in the night and public order officers with shields, and some on horseback, moved protesters back.

A line of gardai prevented the protesters from getting to the hotel.

A number of those involved in the disturbances had their faces covered.

The Luas Red Line services between Belgard and Saggart were suspended ahead of the protest. Later, the glass at the Luas stop at Saggart was smashed.

Nearly 300 members of An Garda Siochana were on duty in response to the public disorder.

This included more than 125 uniformed gardai, 150 members of the public order unit and a water cannon, which was not ultimately used. Mounted and dog units also attended, supported by members in the Air Support Unit and the Garda regional control rooms.

The Garda said public order units were deployed in full protective equipment and utilised pepper spray to “repel sustained physical attacks”.

A senior investigating officer has been appointed to probe the incident.

It was the second night in a row a protest has been held outside the hotel, which is being used as state accommodation for people seeking international protection.

Monday night’s demonstration passed without significant incident.

Acting Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary said they would be “relentless in our pursuit of those involved” in the disorder, which he said had been orchestrated online.

“We know that even though people may have been wearing hoods or masks, we still have the ability to identify them and bring them before the courts, and we will pursue that relentlessly,” he told RTE’s Morning Ireland.

He said Tuesday night’s protest included a mix of some peaceful protesters, youths on horses and scramblers and “violent thugs who were there purely to incite violence and promote fear”.

Mr Cleary said that such incidents are “very dynamic and dangerous”, and while gardai are prepared, “you can never prepare for everything”.

“The fact that we were able to bring the incident under control within approximately two and a half hours … I think one of the main objectives was to prevent spread and we did that.”

He said of the Garda van that was burnt out: “When you have control it doesn’t mean you have zero damage.

“What we witnessed last night went far beyond protest. It was a violent riot driven by thugs intent on violence, and it wasn’t just an attack on gardai, it was an attack on community safety, and we won’t tolerate that.”

Mr Martin said he had been briefed on the violence.

“I pay tribute to the frontline gardai who acted courageously and quickly to restore order,” he said.

“The Minister for Justice and Garda Commissioner have briefed me on the operation, and I thank everyone for their work.

“An Garda Siochana protect us all and have a proud tradition of service to the Irish people.

“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.”

Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris said there was “no excuse” for the violent “thuggery” witnessed outside the hotel.

“I condemn the violent attacks on members of An Garda Siochana outside Citywest last night,” said the Tanaiste.

“There is understandable shock and horror right across our country over the alleged incident that is now before the courts. The full facts must and will be established as people rightly expect.

“But 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.”

Ireland’s Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has said those involved in the violence will be brought to justice.

“People threw missiles at gardai, threw fireworks at them and set a Garda vehicle on fire,” he said.

“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the gardai.

“Those involved will be brought to justice.”

The minister highlighted that a man had been arrested and appeared in court in relation to the alleged sexual assault on Monday.

He added: “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.

“Unfortunately, the weaponising of a crime by people who wish to sow dissent in our society is not unexpected.

“The gardai are prepared for this, but attacking gardai and property is not an answer, and won’t help to make anyone feel safe.”

He added: “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.

“There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed.”