In North Dublin’s Phibsborough area on Monday night, a large assembly of men, some of whom concealed their faces, conducted a targeted raid on a provisional refugee camp. This camp was home to 16 males who, under the shadow of the Royal Canal, established their temporary dwellings in a petite park close by. As per witnesses’ accounts, it was only after local denizens, having been offering support to the refugees, and the police turned up at the scene that the aggressors took their leave.
Images captured on the evening of the incident manifest the presence of numerous men, some with covered faces, hovering around the refugee tents. The police were seen on the site as well. Disturbingly, one man was spotted holding a hurl, and another had a dog akin to a German Shepherd fastened to a leash.
At one point, as per one witness, more than 15 police officers were present at the location. Following the incident, which spanned about a quarter of an hour, the disguised assembly dispersed. Concurrently, multiple police officers were handling a serious public disorder in Coolock, roughly 7km distant, where fifteen individuals were placed under arrest and a minimum of one security professional sustained injuries during a day of violence near an idle factory slated for refugee accommodation.
The clash in Phibsborough came after a contingent of refugees migrated there, having been driven off by authorities from a stop-gap camp situated in Phoenix Park, North Dublin. A team of local volunteers coordinated support for the men, preparing a timetable to be on guard against potential attacks or daunting attempts. Over the weekend, law enforcement also occasionally maintained a small watch in this area.
Racial slurs and violent threats were cast at the refugees by a group of masked men, which prompted the timely intervention of law enforcement authorities around Saturday midnight. Regrettably, no arrests were reported. By Monday evening, about three men made their appearance and began filming the migrant men before being joined by several others who exhibited hostile behaviour. Spotting the group, the patrolling police requested reinforcements and interacted with parts of the group, leading them to break off later.
As they departed, individuals were heard yelling phrases such as ‘return to your homeland’, a resident, who wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, mentioned. A female representative informed that during a routine patrol in Phibsboro within Dublin 7, Gardaí noticed a group of people on the evening of Monday, 15th July 2024. They were requested by the Gardaí to evacuate the area, to which they complied.
The officials were getting ready to disassemble the short-term camp of the asylum seekers by Tuesday morning. It’s reported that most of the men are now in temporary shelters, including a State-operated location at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum.
The latest Government figures reveal that, presently, there are 2,353 male asylum seekers without a home. In the week ending July 7th, an average of 61 men, women, and children were arriving daily in Ireland, aggregating to 429 arrivals for asylum. This displays a stark contrast to the daily average of 32 arrivals in the corresponding week of 2023.