Rioters who attacked gardaí will be dealt with 'robustly', says Taoiseach

Gardaí at Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Dublin, amid the protest. Picture Colin Keegan

Individuals who attacked gardaí during a riot in Citywest on Tuesday night must be dealt with “robustly”, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

At leaders’ questions on Wednesday, Mr Martin said “innocent people” and their neighbourhoods were threatened by the riot.

He said walls in the area were damaged to allow individuals create missiles to throw at gardaí.

“Gardaí come from our community. They’re there to protect us all and its beggars belief that these people would partake in such vile abuse of members of An Garda Síochána, would then attack them in a very serious way, which could cause injury and damage their protective clothing.

“It needs to be dealt with robustly. We’re very clear and the minister for justice is very clear that we are in total solidarity with An Garda Síochána and also that our criminal justice system needs to hold the people responsible to account.”

Mr Martin said he wished the female Garda who was injured the best in her recovery, while adding gardaí should not have to face attacks on duty.

The Taoiseach said there were “genuine and sincere” concerns for the 10-year-old girl allegedly sexually assaulted near Citywest, adding that she was not protected by the State.

Mr Martin said he had been raising concerns about the increasing intensity of attacks against people of different ethnicities, saying he spoke with a group of young people about it in recent weeks.

'On high alert'

His comments came after Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns raised concerns about elements of the far-right organising Tuesday night’s riot, saying the organisers had sought to create fear, division, and “terrify vulnerable people”.

“I know after the last riots in Dublin that many children of colour didn’t turn up to school across the city the next day. 

"They were afraid to leave their homes, afraid that their skin colour would make them a target,” Ms Cairns said.

“You have to imagine that’s happening again today. People of colour all across the city now scared and on high alert.”

Ms Cairns said it was “disgusting” that an alleged sexual assault on a vulnerable child has now left “other children being terrorised”.

She said the riot was orchestrated by far-right activists who “peddle racist myths that international protection applicants are more prone to crimes against women and children”.

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said the level of violence against gardaí was “unacceptable”.

He said footage from the riot would be “closely examined” and more people would be brought before the courts.

Mr O’Callaghan told RTÉ radio that gardaí have good intelligence surrounding events like this, saying it is “soaked up” on social media by people seeking to “weaponise the terrible criminal act” against a young girl on Monday.

Meanwhile, culture minister Patrick O’Donovan warned those involved in the riot that they would be arrested.

“To anybody who was out there last night, thinking that they’re going to get away with this, your day is coming now and you’re going to be caught as well,” he said.

“To anybody thinking of doing anything like this in future, you will be lifted too and you will get your sentence and justice will be served against you.”