Police arrest 15 after clashes at Dublin site planned for asylum seekers
GuardianJul 20
Ireland: Protesters Clash With Police at Proposed Asylum Housing Project
Above: Photo of Irish flag. Image copyright: Unsplash
The Facts
Irish police have arrested at least 15 people after protesters clashed with officers on Monday at the construction site of a new housing project in north Dublin that would accommodate up to 500 asylum seekers.
This comes as dozens of police lined up to block and used tear gas to disperse protesters who threw bricks and launched fireworks, as demonstrations against the housing of hundreds of migrants have been ongoing for months.
The Spin
Left narrative
The far-right in Ireland has been ramping up its attacks on asylum seekers largely thanks to online misinformation. Due to ignorant anti-immigrant rhetoric, these violent groups have chosen not only to attack asylum seekers but also the law enforcement officers tasked with protecting their homes. This growing extremist ideology has spread across Europe, but it's become most potent in Ireland as the country attracts more and more asylum seekers.
Right narrative
What the media won't tell you is that this protest took place at a now-defunct factory— one that used to employ 150 people before their jobs were outsourced to foreign countries, driving these working-class Irishmen into poverty and drug addiction. After years of neglecting their own Irish citizens, the government has all of a sudden decided to pour money into housing foreigners who have no connection to Ireland. Violence is wrong, but their anger is understandable.