Violent Protests Erupt in Dublin After Children Injured in Knife Attack
Protests erupted in Dublin on Thursday, with demonstrators setting a car on fire and clashing with police. The unrest followed a suspected school stabbing that left three children injured. Social media rumors attributed the attack to a foreign national.
A five-year-old girl sustained serious injuries in the incident, which occurred at a city center primary school. Four other people, including two children, were also taken to the hospital. The news of the attacker’s nationality sparked outrage, leading hundreds of people to take to the streets. Some protesters fought with police and attacked vehicles.
Dublin’s police chief, Drew Harris, condemned the violence, describing it as the work of a “complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology.” He also cautioned against the spread of misinformation. Several police vehicles were damaged, with one car seen on fire in video footage.
One protester expressed their frustration, saying, “Irish people are being attacked by these scum.” Despite the chaos, the police do not suspect a terror motive and have arrested a suspect in connection with the incident.
The Garda Siochana, the Irish police force, stated that they were following a definite line of inquiry and not seeking any other individuals at this time. Five casualties, including an adult male, an adult female, and three young children, were taken to various hospitals in the Dublin area.
Superintendent Liam Geraghty confirmed that a five-year-old girl sustained serious injuries and was receiving emergency medical treatment. A five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl had less serious wounds, and the boy has already been discharged. Geraghty revealed that the woman, who suffered serious injuries, and a man in his 50s, considered a person of interest, were being treated in the hospital.
Geraghty stated that a knife was used in the attack and emphasized that there was no evidence of terror-related activity. He described the incident as a standalone attack.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with one person recounting how they helped disarm the attacker and handed the knife over to the police. A group of people restrained the suspect while injured individuals were taken back into the school.
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar expressed shock over the incident and commended the swift response of the emergency services. A suspect has been detained, and the police are actively investigating the case.
Local lawmaker Aodhan O Riordain described the incident as disturbing and expressed hope that the injuries were not severe. Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the Sinn Fein opposition party, conveyed her horror at the events and offered support to the affected families.
(Note: This article has been published from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the NDTV staff, except for the headline.)
