Violence erupts for 2nd night in Dublin near asylum seeker hotel

Violence broke out Wednesday for a second consecutive night in Dublin near a hotel housing asylum seekers, with police facing attacks from protesters throwing stones and fireworks.

The unrest took place in the Saggart area, on the western outskirts of the Irish capital, close to the Citywest Hotel.

The unrest followed the alleged sexual assault of a young girl in the vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.

Gardai (Irish police) have said that much of the violence appeared to have been "planned online."

The Citywest Hotel complex currently accommodates families, including schoolchildren, as part of the Irish government's international protection program for asylum seekers.

On Tuesday evening, a police vehicle was set on fire, and riot officers formed a line to prevent protesters from reaching the hotel.

The violence led to six arrests and five people being charged during disorder linked to protests in the area.

For the second night in a row, protesters hurled masonry, flares, glass bottles and wooden planks at members of the Irish police near the hotel.

Irish broadcaster RTE reported that the police were working to disperse the crowd.

A mounted unit, a dog unit and the public order unit were all deployed at the scene, supported by a helicopter providing aerial assistance.

The public order unit also established a cordon at the junction of Garter Lane and Citywest Drive.