Clash Outside Hotel Housing Asylum Seekers After Alleged Assault
Assalamu alaikum - I’m sharing this because it’s worrying and I think it needs a calm Muslim perspective. In Saggart, southwest of Dublin, clashes broke out outside a hotel where asylum seekers are staying after reports that a 10-year-old girl was sexually assaulted nearby. Local outlets say a 26-year-old man who is an asylum seeker was charged in connection with the alleged attack.
Around 1,000 people gathered outside the hotel, waving Irish flags and holding signs, and some chanted for the residents to be removed. The protest turned violent: bottles and fireworks were thrown at police, a police van was set on fire, and officers in riot gear used pepper spray to try to disperse the crowd. The Irish prime minister called the situation very serious and acknowledged there were failings in protecting the child, who had been in state care and reportedly went missing during a trip to the city centre.
Officials have condemned both the alleged crime and the violent reaction. The justice and migration minister said the disorder was unacceptable and warned that some people may be using the incident to stir up division. Tensions over immigration have been rising in Ireland and the UK in recent years, with hotels housing asylum seekers sometimes becoming flashpoints for protests.
May Allah grant justice to the victim and protect the vulnerable. We should avoid vigilante violence and racism, and support lawful, compassionate responses that keep communities safe.
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