On the night of Tuesday, October 21st, a 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped by an asylum seeker in Dublin. The man—rumoured to be of African origin—was residing at the Citywest IPAS Centre, a hotel used to accommodate migrants. According to Irish media reports, the child—supposedly in the care of the Irish Child and Family Agency, Tusla—was attacked on the hotel grounds and is now receiving medical care.
The suspect, who has been living in Ireland for six years, was refused international protection in 2024 and has been subject to a deportation order since March. He has now been charged with sexual assault and provided with an Arabic interpreter and legal aid.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and led to an anti-immigration protest in West Dublin, where a police car was set on fire. More than 500 people gathered outside a local building, waving Irish flags and holding placards showing anti-migration messages. Some protesters also threw glass bottles and fireworks at police officers during the unrest.
Previous similar demonstrations against illegal immigration took place in June 2025 and July 2024 , reflecting growing public safety concerns over migration, as can be seen in this video.
Tánaiste Simon Harris described the situation as “deeply distressing and horrifying,” urging the public to remain calm and allow law enforcement to conduct a full investigation. He emphasised that the facts must first be established before drawing conclusions—calling on the public to respect the legal process and avoid speculation—and expressed concern about wider issues related to child protection and the responsibilities of State agencies:
There is an ongoing Garda investigation … The laws of this land are clear and will be enforced.
Police have also charged a man in his 20s over the alleged serious assault of a female juvenile. Sinn Féin’s parliamentary leader noted that the suspect had a deportation order issued in March. The minister has requested a full report on the handling of the asylum application in this case.
Although Ireland has virtually no populist members of parliament, anti-migration agitation has become increasingly visible in recent years, with frequent rallies calling for stricter immigration controls.
