Gardai are at the scene of a protest at a residence in Bridgend this evening following the earlier arrest and release of a man.
The man, aged in his 50s, was arrested and detained at a Garda Station in the North West under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 on Sunday evening.
He was subsequently released without charge.
A group of around 20 people have now gathered at the man’s residence and Gardai are in attendance.
The man was arrested following an incident during which he was questioned on his doorstep by a group about his alleged activities with children.
The confrontation was videoed and has appeared on social media.
Gardai have said a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and their investigations are ongoing.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said it is their role to investigate crime and enforce enacted legislation.
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The spokesperson added “Every citizen has a constitutional right to innocence until proven guilty and be subject to a human rights based criminal investigation.
“The safety of children, is a priority at all times for An Garda Síochána and An Garda Síochána use all lawful means to fully investigate and prosecute crimes which jeopardise the safety of a child.
“The actions by ‘private’ groups are a cause of concern for An Garda Síochána and for other police services. The activity engaged in and the manner of confrontation between such groups and their targets has the potential for violence and could result in harm to persons present.
“There are concerns over the legality of the actions and the manner in which such groups operate, and how they interact with their chosen targets prior to and during the arranged meeting has the potential to affect future criminal proceedings.
“An Garda Síochána would urge anyone with information relating to the potential sexual exploitation of children to report it immediately to An Garda Síochána, where it will be investigated by professional investigators.”