Dublin, April 26, 2024 (AFP)
Ireland's prime minister Simon Harris on Friday gave his full backing to the police, and condemned protesters who attacked officers at a proposed site to house asylum seekers.
Officers came under attack at Newtownmountkennedy, 33 kilometres (20 miles) south of Dublin on Thursday night, at a former healthcare facility earmarked to house migrants.
Six people -- four men, one woman, and a juvenile -- were arrested while three police cars were damaged.
Harris told public broadcaster RTE that police were "charged with upholding the laws of the land and they should be supported in doing so".
"This is a country of laws. Attacks on (police) should be condemned by all," he said.
Arson attacks have increased since 2018 on properties around Ireland planned for accommodating those seeking international protection.
In 2023 and 2024 there have been over 20 fires at such properties.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee told the Newstalk website that Ireland -- a country historically of emigration rather than immigration -- valued the right to protest peacefully.
But she added: "People do not have a right to prevent someone from entering their property, from people going to work, from developing a site they own."
Local protests have been held for the past six weeks at the Newtownmountkennedy site, where the government plans to locate 20 eight-person tents.
According to the police, the incident developed when workers contracted to fit out the site were prevented from entering.
Uniformed police were "subject of both verbal and physical abuse throughout the day, which escalated into rocks and other missiles being thrown this evening," said the police statement.
Fires were lit at the scene and police also recovered an axe.
As the situation intensified, police used force to defend themselves "as part of an escalated response to the situation," said the statement.
Video footage posted on social media appeared to show police using pepper spray against protestors.
Other protestors chanted "Shame on you" at the police.
Tensions have risen about immigration around Ireland, and the government has retreated from its policy of hosting asylum seekers in mostly privately owned commercial properties such as hotels and hostels.
Last month the government said it plans to provide for 14,000 beds by the end of 2028 by building pre-fabricated reception centres on state-owned land.

Sumber : AFP