DUBLIN: Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris strongly condemned Monday’s violent clashes at a planned asylum-seeker housing facility as “reprehensible,” leading to the arrest of 15 people.
The incidents mark a continuation of tensions at locations designated for asylum seekers, who have been arriving in greater numbers in Ireland in recent years.
Videos circulated on social media showed machinery and construction materials ablaze at the site—a former paint factory in the northern part of the capital. Protesters, mostly male teenagers numbering over 100, hurled bricks and fireworks at police, who responded with pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
Prime Minister Harris emphasized, “No one has the right to vandalize property, burn cars, or assault law enforcement.” He condemned the criminal actions as efforts to instill fear and division, rejecting any attempt to justify them as legitimate protests.
Police, known as Gardaí, reported damage to several of their vehicles during the unrest. Moreover, footage showed an injured worker, presumed to be from the site, being evacuated on a stretcher.
Protests at the facility entrance had already delayed construction for months, according to the integration ministry responsible for asylum-seeker housing. The violence erupted when construction efforts resumed, the ministry noted, denouncing all criminal acts and intimidation against contractors and their staff.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee expressed dismay at the scenes, promising that those involved would face legal consequences. She cited a disturbing trend since 2022, with an uptick in arson attacks targeting properties housing asylum seekers across Ireland.
Last November, Dublin witnessed violent riots sparked by tensions over immigration, culminating in a knife attack near a school. Rioters also targeted several properties used for asylum-seeker accommodation during those disturbances.
