Roscrea: Man arrested after clashes between protesters and gardaí as first asylum seekers arrive
Protestors at Racket Hall, Roscrea. Picture: Brendan Gleeson
A man has been arrested after scuffles broke out at a hotel in Co Tipperary as anti-immigration protestors gathered while asylum seekers were being brought on to the premises.
It comes as protestors began holding a demonstration at Racket Hall hotel on the outskirts of Roscrea last Thursday after it emerged it was going to be used to house people seeking international protection.
At around 12pm on Monday, a bus arrived at the property carrying women and children, and the protesters formed a line on the grounds of the building which has 40 bedrooms.
The hotel is to provide accommodation for around 160 applicants as the State struggles to house refugees.
The public order unit came with gardaí during the transfer of the asylum seekers into the building.
Videos circulating online show a number of gardaí and protestors being knocked to the ground.
Up to eight Garda vans were on site as a bus carrying the refugees arrived.
Uniformed gardaí remain at the hotel.
Gardaí said: “Shortly before 12 midday, uniformed members of An Garda Síochána, supported by ‘soft cap’ public order personnel provided a cordon at the entrance to the IPAS [International Protection Accommodation Services] Centre to facilitate access for transport carrying international protection applicants.”
One man was arrested under the Public Order Act and has since been released. A file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
Gardaí said “soft cap” means the public order personnel were not wearing helmets or body armour.
They added that pepper spray was not used during the operation, contrary to suggestions.
Earlier, one woman named Martina, said: “There was no need for this, the videos are shocking. We have been here protesting peaceful, it was crazy, we genuinely didn’t want any of this."
One local, Michael Donovan, added: “We are here since Thursday evening, being peaceful, a lot of people have been coming and going.
“There was no engagement with locals, and nobody came to talk to us. There was no negotiation or discussion.
“Anger started to build, and the asylum seekers arrived this morning, it all kicked off, it was not acceptable. Young children were here.
“The protestors are going to take things day by day and it’s an around-the-clock protest, and the Government is responsible for this. They held no discussions with us.
“Roscrea is on its knees, this was the last hotel we had in Roscrea and we don’t have the gardaí, we don’t have the jobs, we don’t have much. The Garda station is only open certain hours, people are unemployed, and this is the result of it.
“We don’t have the resources to deal with this.”
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