Adam MandevilleBBC News NI
Watch: Police van set alight during protest outside Dublin migrant hotel
Irish police have been attacked with missiles and fireworks at a protest outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Dublin.
A police vehicle was also set on fire at the Citywest Hotel on Tuesday evening. A line of riot police were preventing the protesters getting to the hotel.
Broadcaster RTÉ is reporting that several thousand people had gathered.
Ireland’s Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said there was “no excuse” for the violent scenes.
O’Callaghan said: “This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the gardaí (Irish police).
“Those involved will be brought to justice.
“It is clear to me from talking to colleagues that this violence does not reflect the people of Saggart. They are not the people participating in this criminality, but rather the people sitting at home in fear of it.
“Attacks on gardaí will not be tolerated. Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.”
The Irish Times is reporting that police have a water cannon at the scene – the first time it has appeared on streets since it was purchased two years ago.
Getty Images
The protest took place outside the Citywest Hotel. Some of the crowd threw stones and other missiles at the police
Speaking during the final Irish presidential debate on Tuesday, Heather Humphreys described the violence as “absolutely awful”.
“We are seeing members of An Garda Síochána being attacked with stones,” she said. “This is not what we are as a country.”