Teenage boy 'assaulted by Scientology centre guard' in Dublin
KEY POINTS
- Woman claims her son was attacked by security guard at religious centre in Rathfarnham.
- Sinn Fein TD Sean Crowe 'concerned' over allegations.
Police in Ireland are investigating after a 14-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted and injured by a security guard at the Scientology centre in Dublin.
The Gardaí police force said they are taking the allegations "very seriously" after a woman claimed her son suffered a fractured wrist and cuts and bruises following an attack on the site in Ratharnham.
An investigating into allegations of suspected assault causing harm of a minor has now been launched.
A police spokesperson said: "Gardaí in Rathfarnham received reports of an assault on a minor by a security guard at a location on Firhouse Road, Rathfarnham on 13/1/18 at approximately 6:30pm. Enquiries are ongoing."
Sinn Fein TD Sean Crowe said he was already alarmed by the religion opening a site in Dublin and now has "huge concerns" about the allegation a minor has been assaulted at the facility.
He told the Irish Sun: "A lot of paranoia surrounds this group and there are also a lot of concerns in the local community about what their aims and objectives are."
"The site is well covered by cameras so I'm sure it should be easy enough for the gardai to ascertain what happened.
"I've huge concerns in relation to the group itself. It is a cult. I wouldn't be encouraging anybody to be using the facilities."
The £6m (€6.8m) centre has attracted protests from concerned locals since it was opened last October.
