Violent confrontations erupted in Dublin, Ireland, on Thursday evening following a distressing knife attack earlier in the day that left five people, including three children, injured. The Irish news outlet RTÉ reported that rioters violently clashed with members of the Garda, Ireland’s state police force, and even set a police vehicle on fire.
The chaos primarily unfolded on O’Connell Street and Parnell Square East, where rioters threw fireworks and bottles at officers. In response, authorities deployed over 400 officers, many equipped with riot gear, to manage the situation. The police attributed the unrest to “a small group of thugs.”
Significant measures were taken to secure key locations in the city, including the erection of a police cordon around Leinster House, the Irish Parliament building. Mounted Support Unit officers were stationed on Grafton Street as rioters ignited flares and fireworks, seizing furniture from bars and restaurants to fuel the disorder.
Several vehicles, including police cars and a tram, suffered damage in the midst of the chaos. Notably, a bus and a car were set ablaze on O’Connell Bridge, and numerous shop windows, including a Foot Locker store, were shattered and looted. The turmoil led to the suspension of all public transport services, including trams and buses, within the city.
The riots followed a knife attack near a Dublin school at around 1:30 p.m. that day. A young girl, aged five, was critically injured and hospitalized, along with a woman and two other children. Another six-year-old girl incurred less severe injuries, and a boy was released from the hospital after receiving treatment. Authorities are investigating a man in his 50s, who was also hospitalized with serious injuries, as a “person of interest” in the attack. However, they clarified that they are not treating the incident as terror-related and are not seeking anyone else in connection with the school violence.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, speaking at a press conference, condemned the public disorder as “disgraceful” and urged calm and cooperation from the public. Superintendent Liam Geraghty, in a media briefing, indicated that the attack seemed to be an isolated incident, unrelated to broader national or city issues. He acknowledged the bravery of public members who intervened early in the attack.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee expressed deep shock at the “appalling attack” and emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance stance towards the city’s unrest. She condemned the exploitation of the tragedy by certain elements to cause havoc and appealed for peace in the city center as investigations proceed. McEntee also strongly denounced the attacks on the Garda members, emphasizing the severity with which such actions will be dealt with.