A Garda van on fire this evening at Citywest (Image: The Echo Newspaper)
Violence breaks out at Citywest Hotel protest
Major violence has broken out at a protest outside the City West Hotel this Tuesday evening.
Protestors had gathered outside the IPAS centre in Saggart, following the alleged sexual assault of a ten-year-old girl near the centre late on Sunday, October 19.
A man in his 20s, who is reportedly an asylum seeker, appeared before a sitting of Blanchardstown District Court on Tuesday morning, October 21.
An Garda Siochana’s Public Order Unit have been deployed to the hotel, after hundreds of people began to gather in protest over the incident.
A line of gardaí are preventing protestors from entering the hotel grounds, and pepper spray has been deployed.
It appears that protestors have launched fireworks back at Gardaí in retaliation, a Garda van has been set alight and videos on social media appear to show protestors on horses/ponies charging at gardaí.
Garter Lane has been closed to traffic, and the Luas Red Line has been stopped from Belgard to Saggart following a directive from An Garda Síochána.
