Citywest protests: 'Violence results in more violence and it becomes a vicious cycle'

Gardai at the scene, near the Citywest Hotel. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A major clean-up operation has taken place outside the Citywest Hotel asylum seeker centre in Dublin following large-scale riots in the area on Tuesday.

Large steel barriers have been erected outside the hotel where almost 300 gardaí were deployed after a protest descended into chaos.

Fireworks, bricks, bottles, and rocks were thrown at gardaí while locals were forced to retreat inside their homes as protestors ran riot.

Five people have been charged in relation to the incident.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there was “no justification” for the horrific scenes that saw a Garda vehicle set alight during the unrest.

The violence broke out after a man, who was the subject of a deportation order, was arrested for the alleged sexual assault of a 10-year-old child in the care of the State.

On Wednesday afternoon, trucks, and vans arrived at the site where the aftermath of the destruction was still evident.

Hundreds of bricks, stones, long pieces of wood, and bottles were scattered across the area a — reminder of the chaotic scenes splashed all over social media from the night before.

One local person walked by and said: “I just wanted to come up and see the place, I don’t know why, it was like it wasn’t real or something, the noise it was really frightening.

It was like this in town a few years ago when that big protest happened on O’Connell St, nothing like this has ever happened out here, it's really leaving many of us with an upset stomach.

A man walking his dog said: “There were young fellas out here with balaclavas, where are their parents? Terrified animals are being used for a bit of bravado. People need to cop on; it’s a bloody disgrace."

Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell described Tuesday night's violent scenes as “thuggery” and said the “roots of it are hatred”.

Damage to the entrance of the Citywest Hotel. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

“It was a terrible attack on our law and order,” he said. 

“The threat to life last night was a serious threat to life and the damage to property. It's important is that that is called out and it results from thuggery.

"The roots of it are really hatred, and that is serious, but hatred and violence are never going to solve the issues that we have in our country.”

He said we have a duty of care to vulnerable people who come to live in our country and to provide a safe haven for them.

“I also think the rights of the local people need to be listened to. There are concerns and they have to be listened to, and they have to be addressed as well. There is a balance there.

“Ultimately, all of it stems from hatred and a very radical element who stoke up the hatred and it results in violence and violence results in more violence and it becomes a vicious cycle."