Riots have broken out in Dublin after an alleged terror suspect stabbed four civilians – three children and a woman – outside Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, a school in Ireland’s capital.
A five-year-old girl is in hospital in critical condition, as well as a woman in her thirties. The two other children attacked – a six-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy – are reportedly in a stable condition following medical treatment.
The attack at the Parnell Square school was only stopped after bystanders intervened and disarmed the attacker, pinning him down, with some of the locals kicking him to subdue him further.
Reportedly two women had to stop the locals from severely injuring the terror suspect, with one witness Siobhan Kearney telling RTE that she and an “American lady” had to “form a ring around him” to dissuade a further beating.
The attacker has since been admitted to hospital and is receiving treatment.
The Garda (Irish police) have confirmed that a 50-year-old suspect is in custody and they are not looking for any other suspects, suggesting the stabbings were a “standalone” attack.
In the evening following the attack, angry locals took to the streets chanting “get them out” and “Irish Lives Matter”, after it was alleged on social media that the attacker was an Algerian illegal migrant. The attack which locals believe was motivated by terror, has majorly increased community tensions in Ireland’s multicultural capital.
The protest soon escalated to a riot with multiple clashes between police and locals. In one incident fireworks were shot at the police, in another police cars and a tram were torched and bottles were thrown at officers. Garda officers were seen brandishing riot shields as they clashed with the locals.
Rioters were also reportedly seen looting shoe shop Foot Locker, and using metal bars to smash the front of an Asics store.
Video footage circulating online however suggests that there is a difference in motivation between the rioters and the looters, with one video showing rioters accusing looters – who they branded as “doctors and engineers” – of hijacking their protest.
Helen McEntee, the Irish Minister For Justice has branded the riot “intolerable” and accused “manipulative” rioters of using “an appalling tragedy to wreak havoc”.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has blamed the violence on a “complete lunatic hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology”.
Harris urged Irish citizens to “act responsibly” and “not to listen to the misinformation and rumour that is circulating on social media”.
“The facts are being established, but the facts are still not clear on a lot of the rumour and the innuendo is being spread for malevolent purposes”, Harris continued.
The Garda have declined to release details of the attacker and his motivations for the attack. Despite claiming the facts are “still not clear” Irish police have also suggested the attack is not terror-related.
The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has released a statement in which he said, “A number of people have been injured, some of them children. Our thoughts and our prayers go out to them and their families.”
“Gardaí have detained a suspect and are following a definite line of inquiry”, Varadkar continued.
In response to the attack conservative commentator and leader of the British ‘Reclaim’ Party, Laurence Fox, commented, “the west should stop being a “safe space” for murderers. Diversity is not our strength. Shut the borders”.
“Offer sanctuary to genuine refugees and those who will bring skills to our economy. The rest should mend their own nations. Not killing on the streets of ours”, Fox continued.
