Violence broke out in Ireland’s capital Dublin on Thursday evening (23rd November) after at least four people including three children were injured in a knife attack by an “Irish national” believed to be of Algerian origin.
On the afternoon of 23rd November, three young children and a woman were injured in a stabbing attack in Dublin city centre. The accused too was injured and was taken to hospital following the incident on Parnell Square.
Two of the injured, a girl and a woman, reportedly sustained serious injuries. According to Gript Media, the accused is believed to have come from the North African country of Algeria. The Irish Times reported that the chief suspected is believed to be “a naturalised Irish citizen, who has lived here for 20 years”.
However, another report by PBS claims that the Irish police said they were not treating the case as a terror-related incident.
An injured 5-year-old girl is receiving emergency treatment at Temple Street Hospital after the incident and a boy, 5, and another girl, 6, were brought to the CHI Crumlin hospital for treatment. The boy has been discharged.
The injured woman is in her thirties and was receiving treatment at the Mater hospital; she was reportedly an employee of the school outside which the incident took place.
Five ambulances and four Dublin Fire Brigade vehicles were called to the spot. A number of emergency vehicles were stationed outside the Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire primary school.
The attacker was reportedly stopped by passers-by on the street who subdued him and snatched the knife from him throwing it across on a grassy area. With the accused now detained, the police said they are not looking for any more suspects.
Anti-immigrant protesters took to the streets in Dublin reportedly after angry protest calls were made on social media. Public transport was “severely” disrupted in the Irish capital with vehicles including buses set ablaze.
🚨#BREAKING: The People of Ireland Have Started Burning Down Immigration Centers/Busses After 5 People (Including 3 Children) Were Badly Injured in Yet Another Knife Attack by a Muslim Immigrant ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/0nlmQSIbhl
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) November 23, 2023
The National Bus and Rail Union also instructed all buses in Dublin to withdraw services with “immediate effect”. All Luas and Dublin bus services have been suspended. Reports claim that groups of people were heckling the gardai (Irish police).
The Irish Times reported that shops were also looted. Even as anger amongst Irish citizens is at its peak against illegal immigration ever since the stabbing, Garda Commission Drew Harris blamed the riots on a “lunatic, hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology”.
Disorder in the city centre is being caused by small groups of thugs.
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) November 23, 2023
Over 400 Gardaí, uniform and public order, are deployed on foot in Dublin City Centre this evening restoring public order. pic.twitter.com/WuyHEexakN
CNN report claims that protesters were also seen kicking the police shields. Ireland’s Justice Minister Helen McEntee described the protesters as thugs and “criminals using the appalling attack to sow division and wreak havoc in the city”.
Can anyone explain why it is considered "far-right" when people protest against an Algerian man who entered a school and stabbed 1 woman and 3 young children with 2 in a serious condition? Surely any sane person would agree that stabbings are unacceptable. If not, why not? pic.twitter.com/AocHhXD7s6
— Neil Hamilton (@NeilUKIP) November 23, 2023
Meanwhile, several reports in the Western media have called the protests as “far-right” sparking anger amongst Irish citizens on social media.
