Ukrainian families living in Citywest have expressed that they are “scared” and “worried” following a second consecutive night of unrest, during which they were instructed to remain in their rooms and avoid going near the windows.
This follows the charging of 17 individuals with public order offences after another night of disturbances at the Citywest accommodation facility in Dublin, reports RTE.
A representative of the Ukrainian community said residents at the centre have been instructed to stay inside their rooms and away from windows.
Anatoliy Prymakov told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that families feel frightened and anxious, reports RTE.
He explained that they were advised “not to do anything … that was essentially being done for the family’s own protection, to limit their movements so that they can be safe”.
Mr Prymakov mentioned that some of the families have been living in Citywest for quite some time and are deeply disappointed to witness such incidents, reports RTE.
“You’re dealing with families who have fled war, so you’re dealing with families and people who have already suffered, who have come to Ireland seeking refuge and safety, and instead, they’re finding this,” he said, reports RTE.
The Mayor of South Dublin City Council expressed that her main reaction to the riots at Citywest was one of “sadness”.
“My overwhelming reaction is sadness that it has come to this, that that’s the way people think that you can resolve your problems,” said Labour councillor Pamela Kearns, reports RTE.
Speaking to RTÉ’s News At One, she said: “The children who are living in the centre at the moment, who are trying to go to school in the morning, it’s really bad for them.”
Ms Kearns explained that there has been ongoing engagement between the local authority, the Department of Justice, and the community about the situation at Citywest, but noted that some protestors arrived simply to create disorder, reports RTE.
“There has been a huge amount of engagement and the people in the area have actually been engaged with us,” she said, reports RTE.
“In my opinion, a significant amount of the people who are turning up there in the evenings are just out there for nefarious reasons and it’s nothing to do with the local community who just would like to live in peace,” she added, reports RTE.
Ms Kearns also commended the work of the gardaí and local council teams for their handling of the situation.
TheLiberal.ie won’t quit
Please support us with a small donation on PayPal!
“The gardaí have been exceptional and I’d like to mention the volunteers, who are continuing to work in this centre as well, and the council staff who have to come out and clean up every morning,” she said, reports RTE.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin once again condemned “the shocking rioting in Dublin and the attacks on An Garda Síochána”.
“Our gardaí protect communities with professionalism and courage. There will be a robust response from the justice system – this behaviour will not be tolerated,” Mr Martin added, reports RTE.
“This is something that will not be tolerated, and I know that the Minister of Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, is working with the Garda Commissioner in relation to all of this. We will continue to resist this type of behaviour,” he said, reports RTE.
Minister O’Callaghan yesterday praised gardaí for their professional approach in dealing with what he described as the “thuggish violence at Citywest”.
He said that numerous arrests had been made and that more would follow, with those responsible to be charged, identified, and dealt with “relentlessly” through the criminal justice system, reports RTE.
A priest representing the Saggart and Citywest parishes stated that “violence is not the solution to anything”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Fr Joseph Ryan criticised those who had travelled from outside the area to instigate trouble at Citywest in recent nights, reports RTE.
“Seeing the crowds coming, many of them are not local and it doesn’t do the neighbourhood any good.
“As a resident, to see the village being blocked off … we can’t get into the town or to the village until well after midnight because of the place being cordoned off for securities, which doesn’t help,” he said, reports RTE.
“The parishioners around us then would be thinking they’ve lived here all their lives, many of them, and it’s the first time being famous for the wrong reasons with the wrong actions that are going on by protesters who are, again, strangers. We’re not happy with what’s going on,” Fr Ryan added, reports RTE.
Fr Ryan urged that any protests must be conducted peacefully.
“Everything needs to be done by peace … The hostility going on between the rioters and the gardaí is more inciting to violence and that’s no good, it doesn’t do anything,” he said, reports RTE.
“I went down the first night on Tuesday night and people would not listen. They were just too hyped up. To listen is approaching either through Dáil, either through politicians … and being listened to in reverse, there’s anger because of what has gone on in the local area to do with the hotel. The people are not being supported in the neighbourhood,” he added, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
