There were violent scenes in Dublin city last night as a large group of people gathered around asylum seekers who are sleeping rough.
The incident happened on Sandwith Street in the south inner city. Footage shared on social media shows a man confronting the group. Others can be seen removing posters that were tied to a barrier.
Another man can be heard shouting: "Take that fu**er down will you, this is our country". An individual can be seen hitting a steel fence and knocking some of it loose. The man confronting the group then takes the piece of light steel and hits it against the ground before being surrounded by a number of men. After being hit, he falls on the ground.
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Local TD Chris Andrews called the violence "completely unacceptable".
"The bottom line is that this is a result of neglect of the inner city and working class communities," he told Dublin Live. "The buildings beside it are St. Andrews Court flats that were earmarked for regeneration 5 years ago.
"I was at a meeting almost 5 years ago with residents and DCC who said they would redevelop this site and increase the social housing available to residents yet nothing has happened and now the Government and the Council have left this site become almost like skid row. The Government need to show a sense of urgency around the redevelopment of these public homes."
Deputy Andrews added that "residents deserve better than this".
"The Government allowing this situation develop is more evidence of neglect of inner city communities," he said.
"The other nearby flats have been neglected for years and there has been no investment in the flats or the community and all residents face is ongoing frustration and neglect.
"It all comes down to Government failing to have a plan and a strategy. A number of years ago I warned that without a plan and a strategy for immigrants there would be consequences for social cohesion and it is coming to pass now."
The Sinn Fein TD added that he has contacted Pearse Garda Station and Dublin City Council about the matter.
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