Gardaí: White Irish male, not a migrant, involved in alleged sexual assault at heart of right-wing protests
While protesters have repeatedly claimed migrants were involved in Friday's alleged attack, Gardaí believe a white Irish male was involved. Picture: iStock
Gardaí believe a white Irish male was involved in an alleged sexual assault on a woman in north Dublin — and not migrants, as has been repeatedly claimed by right-wing agitators.
The claims that male refugees or black men carried out the attack have fuelled and heightened anti-refugee protests in Finglas in recent days.
The alleged incident occurred in the early hours of last Friday, after the woman was dropped off on Cappagh Road in Finglas.
A large number of local women, along with some children, entered Finglas Garda Station after and demanded answers.
Separately, a number of prominent males have led protests that have become increasingly hostile and abusive towards gardaí — with these same people threatening to evict gardaí from Finglas Garda Station on Wednesday evening and to “lock down” main routes in the area.
These protesters have been constantly alleging that refugee men are “rapists”, and that they pose an extreme danger to local women and children, and have repeatedly claimed migrants were involved in Friday’s alleged attack.
Some of the organisers have called on people to bring weapons, even guns, to protests.
The protests initially started over renewed attempts by the authorities to use a vacant factory in Finglas to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.
A number of high-level sources have confirmed to the that gardaí are following a “definite line of inquiry” in relation to the alleged sexual offence, and that they are looking to speak to a white Irish male from outside Dublin in relation to it.
The involvement of migrants or refugees has been ruled out. A well-known convicted criminal from the area is also involved in the protests.
While gardaí are eager not to give oxygen to the right-wing organisers, sources do admit that local management and frontline members are on alert, preparing for an escalation in the protests.
There is a growing fear “something will spark off” in a deliberate attempt to force gardaí to intervene and be dragged into a physical altercation, that will then be recorded and circulated online to supporters.
Gardaí issued a statement on Wednesday saying they are looking to speak to a taxi driver in relation to the alleged assault "who picked up a fare from a white man and white woman" at around 1.30am on January 27.
The passengers in the vehicle are described as being a white woman, aged in her 20s and a white man, also aged in his 20s.
As reported by the last Friday, detectives are investigating if the actions of certain protestors in Finglas have "stepped over the line" into criminality, including breaches of the Public Order Act.
The Garda Representative Association local branch has called for a task force to be set up to address the issue, describing the situation as "near anarchy".
