Скачать или смотреть Roscrea 'has been made a scapegoat for the rest of the country' - Protester

Protesters and Gardaí have clashed in Roscrea, Co Tipperary as asylum seekers were brought to the town.

An Garda Síochána put an operation in place at the Racket Hall Hotel shortly before noon involving officers and ‘soft cap’ public order personnel.

During the course of the operation one man was arrested under the Public Order Act and released without charge.

A file is to be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

A Garda presence remains at the hotel.

Three families, including young children, are staying at the premises.

Newstalk's Henry McKean is there and told The Hard Shoulder what the scene is like.

"There's about 50 protestors still here - at one point there was 200," he said.

"They've set up these firepits at the side of the road.

"There is a rush hour even though it's quite a small population in Roscrea, you could say a town that's had a difficult few years when it comes to the economy.

"The Garda Public Order Unit were present here and this afternoon there were skirmishes.

"Things are much calmer now I must say.

"The Guards have moved back a bit now, they're on the actual hotel grounds.

"Things are clam, people are bedding in for the night," he added.

Gardaí say they are "acutely aware of the significant volume of misinformation, disinformation and fake news" in relation to International Protection Applicants.

‘Soft cap’ public order personnel meant they were not wearing helmets or body armour.

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