A riot broke out outside an immigration facility in a Dublin suburb on Tuesday following the alleged rape of a ten-year-old girl.
Authorities did not disclose the suspect’s identity, but that he is a rejected asylum seeker who arrived from an African country around six years ago.
The assault reportedly occurred near a hotel housing immigrants.
Several thousand protesters gathered in Saggart, some of whom threw projectiles at officers, launched fireworks, and set fire to at least one police van. Police reinforcements and a water cannon were deployed to contain the unrest.
According to the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), the assault took place over the weekend near the former Citywest Hotel, which has been converted into a permanent migrant shelter.
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The victim, who was under state care, was attacked after she “absconded from staff whilst on a planned recreational trip with staff in the city centre,” the agency said. Tusla added that she had been referred to its care earlier this year due to “significant behavioural issues.”
The suspect has been detained for questioning, and police have 24 hours to charge or release him.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the authorities had failed the victim. “It is the fundamental duty of the state to protect the children of the state, and irrespective of the complexity or severity of any case, that duty must be fulfilled,” he stated.
Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris described the case as “horrifying” but urged the public to exercise restraint. “It’s important that we have an opportunity to establish the facts, and that the agencies also have an opportunity to present those facts,” he said.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan condemned the attacks on police. “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not,” he said.
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