An asylum-seeking man in his 30s with a deportation order has been arrested, suspected of sexual assault against a 10-year-old girl in Dublin, Ireland.
The incident quickly triggered violent riots when thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the asylum accommodation in the suburb of Saggart.
The assault allegedly took place on Monday near the former Citywest Hotel, which now functions as permanent asylum accommodation. The man came to Ireland from an African country approximately six years ago, reports the Irish Times.
The victim, a 10-year-old girl, had been in the care of Tusla, the Irish Child and Family Agency, since earlier this year due to what the agency describes as "significant behavioral issues". The girl was being cared for at a special facility where staff were available around the clock.
According to Tusla, the girl escaped from staff during a planned outing in central Dublin, after which she was reported missing to police. She was later found at a relative's home but escaped from there again, and thereafter only maintained phone contact with staff without revealing her exact location.
The girl later told staff that she had been involved in a serious incident, and through the information she provided, staff were able to determine where she was and contacted police.
Received rejection of asylum application
The suspected man had his asylum application rejected in 2024, according to Irish media. Since March of this year, there has been a deportation order against him, but he has not left the country.
The man is being held for questioning and police have 24 hours to press charges or release him.
Several thousand demonstrators gathered on Tuesday outside the asylum accommodation. The situation quickly escalated when the protests turned into full-scale riots where some participants threw projectiles at police, fired fireworks, and set fire to at least one police car.
Police were forced to deploy reinforcements and used a water cannon to gain control of the situation, and an area has been cordoned off as a crime scene outside the hotel.
"Fundamental duty to protect children"
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin acknowledges that authorities have failed to protect the girl.
— 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 says.
Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris calls the case "horrifying" but appeals to the public to show 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 argues.
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan condemns the attacks on police and says that "peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not".
