Irish police guarded looted stores and firefighters extinguished burning vehicles in Dublin’s city center early Friday. Three young children were among five people injured in a knife attack in Dublin, which sparked riots in the city center. The police have not ruled out any motive, including whether the incident was related to terrorism.
After a small group of anti-immigrant protesters arrived at the scene of the stabbing attack, police blamed far-right agitators for starting the violence. Irish police guarded looted stores and firefighters extinguished burning vehicles in the heart of Dublin’s city center early Friday after the stabbing of three young children sparked a night of rioting never seen in the capital before.
After clashes between riot police and anti-immigrant protesters who arrived at the scene of the attack beside the main thoroughfare of O’Connell Street, public transport was suspended and patients were instructed to travel to a nearby maternity hospital only in case of emergency.
After the crowd grew to around 200 to 300 people, it took officers several hours to regain control. A double-decker bus, tram and police car were destroyed, public transport was suspended and residents were advised to avoid certain areas of the city.
Source: Moneycontrol
“It was happening for nothing,” Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin said in a video statement posted at 11:30 GMT on the social media platform X, declaring that calm had been restored. Some of their co-workers were also assaulted and attacked. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported.
Dublin Fire Brigade said firefighters continued to dampen down a burning tram on O’Connell Street and make the scene safe. Public transport was restored, but with some restrictions in the area. Some streets still had barricades up, and police stood guard outside a Foot Locker store with broken windows that had been looted during the riot.
A Holiday Inn hotel, which was also targeted, had its front door boarded up. The windows of the hotel, which the government uses to house the migrants, were smashed, and a double-decker bus was set on fire in front of the Daniel O’Connell statue. A McDonald’s restaurant was vandalized, as it was a Footlocker store.
Source: Moneycontrol
Police officials said they were not looking for any other suspects and arrested a man in his late 40s who was also being treated for serious injuries. Police said on Thursday that they have not ruled out any motive, including the possibility of terrorism. They refused to comment on the detained man’s nationality.
Although no far-right parties or politicians have been elected to parliament, small anti-immigrant protests have increased in the last year. After a recent protest trapped lawmakers inside, the government is reviewing security around parliament.
Garda officers are currently stationed outside a number of shops that have been broken into and looted, while clean-up crews are working to remove debris from a burned-out bus on O’Connell Street. The Irish Defence Force has denied reports that it has been called in to assist the police and clarified that images circulated of its vehicles are outdated. However, according to sources in Dublin, some armored vehicles have arrived.
Source: Moneycontrol
More than 400 Irish police officers were involved in the riot response. Minister of Justice “Helen McEntee,” urged the public to remain calm and these manipulative things are exploiting the peace of the entire city, which was not experienced in the past histories.
