Image only for representation
In Dublin on Thursday, violent clashes erupted between protesters and police, resulting in torched vehicles and looted shops. The chaos followed a knife attack outside a school that left three young children injured. Police, in riot gear, faced taunts and fireworks from the crowds.
Near O’Connell Bridge, flames engulfed a torched car and bus, with stores looted along one of the main shopping streets. The unrest, described as the worst in years, was triggered by a suspected stabbing of a five-year-old girl in Parnell Square East.
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Two other children and two adults, including the suspected perpetrator, were hospitalized. Rumors on social media regarding the assailant’s nationality fueled tensions. Police Chief Drew Harris attributed the violence to a “complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology” and warned against misinformation.
Protesters, some with signs saying “Irish Lives Matter,” expressed discontent in a neighborhood with a significant immigrant community. Dissatisfaction over Ireland’s chronic housing crisis contributed to a backlash against asylum seekers, with far-right figures amplifying anti-immigration sentiment.
“Out!” Ireland, Dublin. pic.twitter.com/ejtoyt5dCj
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) November 23, 2023
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By late evening, calm was restored, and Police Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin denounced the events as “gratuitous thuggery.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee vowed not to tolerate attacks on police, emphasizing the need to prevent manipulation of a tragic incident.
The knife attack, not deemed terror-related, involved a man stabbing victims outside the school. Witnesses reported disarming the assailant, leading to an arrest. Superintendent Liam Geraghty confirmed serious injuries to a five-year-old girl, while a boy and a girl sustained less serious wounds.
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Siobhan Kearney described the chaotic scene, where bystanders disarmed the attacker. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar expressed shock and thanked emergency services. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and local lawmakers, including Aodhan O Riordain and Mary Lou McDonald, voiced their horror and solidarity with the affected families.
