On Thursday, Irish police detained 34 individuals in a riot that erupted hours after a school stabbing that hurt three children and a woman and left a five-year-old girl critically hospitalized.
According to Garda (Police) Commissioner Drew Harris, hooligans critically wounded one police officer, wrecked 11 police cars, and robbed or significantly damaged 13 stores over the evening. A Luas tram and many buses were also set on fire.
Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar estimated that the damage will be "in the tens of millions."
Three schoolchildren and a school care assistant were attacked near Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire primary school soon after 1:30 p.m., reportedly by an immigrant. Thursday is the day.
As of Friday morning, one five-year-old girl was still in critical condition, while a six-year-old girl was being treated for "less serious injuries" at Crumlin Children's Hospital. On Thursday night, a five-year-old kid was released from the same hospital.
The female school aide, in her 30s, was still in "serious condition" in Mater Hospital on Friday morning.
The primary suspect, a guy in his fifties, was also in critical condition at a Dublin hospital.
There has been no formal confirmation of the suspect's nationality. According to the Irish Times, he is a naturalized Irish citizen who has resided in the nation for 20 years.
A number of bystanders, including a Deliveroo driver who is a Brazilian immigrant, restrained the suspect.
Protesters and hooligans gathered in Dublin city centre on Thursday evening in response to rumors that the suspect is an immigrant.
Rioters hurled bottles and other items at police officers, damaged store windows, and lit vehicles, buses, and a Luas tram on fire.
A video circulated on social media appears to show dozens of men chasing someone, with people shouting, “kill him,” “take his shirt off.”
Garda Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin said the riot was “gratuitous thuggery,” saying the violence “had nothing whatsoever to do” with the stabbing in the afternoon.
Commissioner Harris told a press conference on Friday that there was an “element of radicalisation.”
The taoiseach told reporters at Dublin Castle that the city had witnessed “two terrible attacks” on Thursday, each bringing “shame to our society.”
“The first was an attack on innocent children, the second an attack on our society and the rule of law,” Mr. Varadkar said.
“Each attack brought shame to our society and disgrace to those involved and incredible pain to those caught up in the violence. As Taoiseach, I want to say to a nation that is unsettled and afraid, this is not who we are, this is not where we want to be, and this is not who we will ever be,” he added.
Asked about the extent of damage done during the riot, Mr. Varadkar said, “We don’t have a figure on it yet, but it’s likely to be in the tens of millions, rather than the millions.”
Members of the public who helped to stop the attacker, including Deliveroo driver Caio Benicio, have been praised as heroes. He was working on his motorcycle when he spotted the attack and stopped to aid.
According to eyewitness Siobhan Kearney, many people attacked the suspect while she and "an American girl formed a ring around the culprit so the Garda could deal with him in due course."
The events occurred a week after Slovak citizen Jozef Puska, 33, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old teacher and musician who was running when she was stabbed by Puska.
Several anti-immigrant rallies have erupted in Ireland in recent months in response to an inflow of refugees.
According to Department of Justice figures, 13,319 persons sought for asylum in Ireland in 2022, the largest number in 20 years.
Due to a continuing housing scarcity, the government has resorted to sheltering some asylum seekers in hotels or tents, as well as floating hotels and ships.
Tents were torched earlier this year in a temporary refugee camp in Dublin city center after a heated confrontation between anti-immigrant activists and those supporting asylum seekers.
Around the same time, social media reports claimed that a Zimbabwean man wanted by Interpol for three murders had escaped to Dublin and sought refuge.
According to The Sun, the guy, Peter Dube, was detained in Ireland in June after applying for asylum under the identity Xolile Mtsali.
