On the evening of October 21, violent clashes erupted in southwest Dublin, Ireland, during an anti-immigration protest. At least 1,000 protesters gathered outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers, setting a police van on fire and injuring one officer.
Protesters reportedly carried tools and makeshift weapons, throwing bottles, fireworks, and bricks at Gardaí, who had deployed about 300 officers, including mounted and dog units. Police used pepper spray and water cannon deterrents to restore order, while some rioters who arrived on horseback attempted to push past Garda lines during the clashes. Protesters also set up roadblocks to check the ethnicity of passing motorists and pedestrians, allowing those identified as Irish to pass.
Government officials, including Prime Minister Micheál Martin and Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, condemned the disorder and pledged legal action against those involved. Six people have been arrested, while police are analyzing CCTV and bodycam footage to identify further offenders.
The riot followed allegations that a 26-year-old asylum seeker sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl on the hotel grounds. The man, who has already been arrested and reportedly requested a Romanian interpreter in court, has been charged. The unrest also stemmed from rising anti-immigration sentiment across Ireland and the wider British Isles, echoing similar riots in Dublin in 2023 and recent anti-immigration clashes in Northern Ireland, reflecting ongoing tensions around migration and public safety. Those earlier riots began after the stabbing of three children by an Algerian suspect.