Second Night of Anti-Immigrant Riots Rocks Ireland as Tensions Rise Over Asylum Policy

Irish police arrested 23 people in Dublin on Wednesday after a second night of violent unrest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers. The clashes followed the previous night’s protests, which saw six arrests and growing anger over the government’s immigration policies.

Videos shared online showed young men throwing bottles, fireworks, and other projectiles at police outside the Citywest Hotel in Saggart, southwest Dublin. Two officers were injured, one struck in the head by a bottle and another suffering arm and shoulder injuries.

“The public disorder was predominantly carried out by young adult males and teenagers,” police said, describing the violence as “thuggish.”

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan praised officers for responding “bravely” and warned that those responsible would face consequences. “They will be charged, named, and dealt with relentlessly by our criminal justice system,” he wrote on X.

The protests began after the arrest of a 26-year-old foreign national accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. Local media reported that the suspect had previously been served a deportation order after his asylum application was denied.

Opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald told parliament the case highlighted the need to restore public confidence in Ireland’s asylum system. “Any question mark around a person overstaying in the State when a deportation order has been made is deeply unnerving,” she said.

While far-right movements have historically had little traction in Ireland, public sentiment toward immigration has shifted sharply amid record arrivals. A 2024 Irish Times/Ipsos poll found that 59 percent of respondents favored tighter immigration controls.

The unrest echoes 2023’s anti-immigration riots in central Dublin, when crowds attacked police and burned vehicles after a stabbing incident involving a naturalized Irish citizen born in Algeria.