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Racket Hall Hotel protest: Stand-off with gardaí in freezing temperatures as first asylum seekers arrive after protester arrested

People had been protesting since last Thursday after it was announced that Racket Hall Hotel was to be used as an accommodation centreGarda public order unit deployed on Monday and cordon formed as bus driven in

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WATCH: Protesters clash with gardaí outside Roscrea hotel slated to house asylum seekers

Ralph Riegel and Eoin Kelleher

Yesterday at 06:10

More than 200 people are endured ­sub-zero temperatures and vowed to maintain their protest against the placement of up to 160 asylum-seekers in a Tipperary town’s only hotel.

On Monday, scuffles broke out at the Racket Hall Hotel in Roscrea as protesters tried to block a bus carrying 17 asylum seekers – men, women and children – who arrived under garda protection.

A major protest meeting was staged outside the hotel yesterday evening as demonstrators accused gardaí of heavy-handed tactics during the tense stand-off.

The decision to bring the 17 men, women and children – into the property has sparked a five-day round-the-clock protest outside Racket Hall.

Locals claim Roscrea has already accepted its share of Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants and warn that the loss of the local hotel to the tourism and hospitality industry is an economic disaster for the town.

Protesters insisted last night that, had they been informed that women and children were being brought into the hotel, they would have ­immediately stepped back.

Locals claimed that a government letter indicated to them last week that those to be assigned to the Roscrea ­hotel would be single males.

Some described juvenile asylum-seekers as being very distressed amid the protest scenes. Gardaí were forced to move demonstrators, who had formed a human chain in front of the entrance to the hotel, to allow the 17 asylum-seekers to gain entry to their new accommodation.

Gardaí, assisted by the public order unit, insisted they acted to maintain safety and order with a measured response by officers, none of whom wore body armour or helmets.

One man was arrested earlier on Monday under the Public Order Act during roadside scuffles as the first asylum-seekers were successfully escorted into the hotel.

The man was later released without charge. A file will now be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions

A large garda presence was maintained outside the hotel on Monday evening, supplemented by local private security personnel.

Garda sources said that of the large attendance gathered this evening, up to 50pc were not from the local area.

The number of protesters, many accompanied by children, had swelled to over 200 on Monday evening, with some travelling from as far as Dublin and Cork.

A strategy meeting was staged outside Racket Hall at 8pm and protesters kept warm with two wood-fired braziers erected on either side of the hotel’s main entrance gate.

Despite the freezing temperatures, a cohort of 20 protesters remained outside the main hotel gate around the clock.

Roscrea taxi driver Justin Phelan said the protesters were not racists or anti-­asylum-seeker but felt that “enough was enough for Roscrea”.

Mr Phelan said he was a local worker and father who felt the north Tipperary community had been ignored by the Government.

“I don’t want this to happen again,” Mr Phelan said with reference to the scuffles outside the hotel.

“This is a peaceful protest but we want our rights as citizens and taxpayers to be respected.”

Mr Phelan claimed that several protesters, including a woman, were knocked to the ground during the confrontation with gardaí.

He also claimed that pepper spray was used.

Mr Phelan said losing the 40-bedroom hotel to asylum-seeker accommodation was a body blow for Roscrea and meant the nearest hotel was more than 25km away.

“We are not right-wing or racist. I am a working man, a father, someone who pays his taxes and wants the best for his community. I am someone who is standing up and saying enough is enough for Roscrea,” he said.

“We just want what is best for our town and community. This place has been starved of resources.”

Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill appealed for calm and said he would be meeting with Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman on Tuesday to discuss extra resources for Tipperary and Roscrea.

The Fianna Fáil politician said it was his understanding that further groups of asylum-seekers will be brought to the complex at a future date.

“They will be moved in over the near future – I would expect the department to use the full capacity of Racket Hall. There are 40 rooms there,” he said.

“It has been well documented that ­Roscrea already has a lot of asylum-­seekers and Ukrainian refugees in the town. One of the biggest issues is that this place [Racket Hall] is the only hotel in the town and there is no room for functions or events.

“All of these things – gardaí, GPs, schools – all have to get extra resources now. The minister now has to step up to the plate for Roscrea and the challenges facing the town.”

He said he was not informed of the plan to move the asylum-seekers into the complex today.

Mr Cahill said he was warned by one individual last week that the hotel would be targeted for an arson attack – and he reported the matter to Roscrea gardaí.

“I would hope and pray that there won’t be one [attack] at Racket Hall,” he added.

Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath said that the actions of the Government and the manner in which the first group of asylum-seekers was brought into the Roscrea facility were “worrying”.

He also argued that there was no need for the garda public order unit to have been deployed.

“Such a show of strength is unhelpful and it is only raising tensions. He also appealed for calm and for people to respect property,” he said.

“Look, a burned building is no good to anybody.”

Scuffles broke out at the Racket Hall Hotel in Roscrea on Monday afternoon as protesters attempted to block the busload containing 17 asylum seekers who arrived under garda protection.

At around noon on Monday, numbers swelled as a fleet of garda vans and cars arrived to escort the asylum-seekers inside.

About 40 gardaí formed a cordon to protect the bus carrying an initial dozen or so people into the hotel, with more officers stationed on the main road.

Some of the protesters became physically and verbally involved with gardaí and scuffles broke out. Tensions remained high as the bus departed to collect the remaining asylum-seekers.

“An Garda Síochána put in place an operation at an International Protection Accommodation Centre in Roscrea,” said a garda spokesperson.

“Shortly before midday, uniformed members of An Garda Síochána supported by ‘soft cap’ public order personnel provided a cordon at the entrance to the IPAS Centre to facilitate access for transport carrying International Protection Applicants.

“During the course of the operation one male was arrested under the Public Order Act. He has subsequently been released and a file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution. A Garda presence remains at the IPAS centre at this time.”

One of the protesters said he was there in support of the people of Roscrea. Racket Hall is the town’s last fully operational hotel and was due to host a number of weddings, birthdays and family events, all of which have now had to be cancelled for the next 12 months.

“We’re in support of the town,” said protester Paul McNamara. “The Racket Hall is the only amenity that we that have in town for the likes of communions, confirmations, birthday parties and functions. If this closes and the occupants move in today, that’s it.

“There is nothing left in town, and no disrespect to the small cafes inside in town, they’re brilliant, but they can’t cater for what a hotel can cater for.

“We’re here to let the public know in every town and village throughout Ireland that enough is enough. We have no problem taking refugees, taking migrants, to meet the capacity of the facilities that we have in town. If that’s gone beyond that breaking point, what do we do? We’re not getting supported by the Government locally to develop our town. We have to make a stand somewhere.”

Mr McNamara said the protesters wanted to express their dissatisfaction with the Government and the Department of Integration for not informing local communities, or “telling them 24 hours” before the asylum-seekers arrived.

“If you come here at night, and you take a walk from this entrance in to town, tell me how safe you would feel about that?” said Mr McNamara, as trucks and HGVs drove by.

“We have had two serious incidents which resulted in deaths within 100 metres of this entrance heading in to town. There is no footpath.”

A briefing note from the department shown to councillors said transport would be provided to the asylum-seekers.

However, the “so-called bus service that is going to be laid on for them here won’t meet everybody’s needs,” said Mr McNamara. “I’m not asking the Government to put in a footpath, and we’ll take in more. I’m asking them to look after the local community and to develop some kind of enterprise within the town so that the town might benefit from from what’s been forced on them.”

Schools, medical clinics and other public services are coming under increasing pressure in Roscrea, he added.

Another protester ,Kelly, who declined to give her second name, said they’re not “racist” or “far right”, saying the town of Roscrea “can’t physically cope”.

“You take anyone here, they can’t get a doctor, they can’t get a dental appointment. We’re totally full. Enough is enough.”

Kelly said she is friends with Brazilians who work in a local factory. “They’re working here but these people they’re bringing in, they are given money. They are given accommodation. They are given food. My fear is that they have 24/7 nothing to do all day. That’s wrong.”

Another protester, Michelle, said the closure of the Racket Hall to local functions such as weddings would have an impact on the local economy. “If you have a wedding inside, you would have people going into town to get their hair and make-up done, and spending a bit of money in the town. It’ll be a complete knock-on effect to all the businesses in the town,” she said.

“If the hurling club, or any of the clubs in town, want to run a fundraiser, or a dinner dance, or a meeting of any kind, there is nowhere now to gather.”

The incident is just the latest in a string of protests over the housing of asylum-seekers in regional towns across the country.

Local representatives said they were shocked at the move to house asylum-seekers there as the hotel was open and it will now result in people having to “find alternative employment, and so many events will have to be rescheduled”, a Tipperary County Council meeting heard last Friday.

Speaking at the meeting, Roscrea-based Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Smith said staff at the Racket Hall were dismayed that they would be no longer be working there due to the change of circumstances.

“That’s very difficult for families at any time of the year,” he said, adding that the way it had been handled “leaves a lot to be desired.” He said the sudden announcement was “quite shocking”.

Mr Smith said a lot of organisations in Roscrea had “really stepped up” to house those fleeing conflict at two other sites in the town.

“They did so with the best of intentions. Certainly in Roscrea, there’s a very warm welcome. Everyone put their shoulder to the wheel,” he said.