Ireland's police commissioner has warned that far-right radicalisation will continue to disrupt the country after a night of arson, rioting and looting in Dublin city centre. Drew Harris said people radicalised by far-right ideology and social media had exploited a 'terrible crime' to unleash mayhem on the streets.
The violence broke out on Thursday evening, hours after a knife attack outside a primary school left three children and a female carer injured, two critically. The suspect, reported to be a naturalised Irish citizen in his 50s, was disarmed by bystanders and remains in hospital under police guard.
Anti-immigrant protesters, bolstered by gangs of youths, breached a police cordon at the crime scene and began roaming O'Connell Street, smashing windows and setting vehicles on fire. Thirteen shops were looted, a tram and two buses were torched, and 11 police vehicles were damaged. Several officers were injured, one seriously, and 34 people were arrested.
Harris said the unrest would compel a fundamental review of public order tactics, adding: 'We have to make the assumption that we’ll see further such protests.' The justice minister, Helen McEntee, warned that those convicted of assaulting police could face up to 12 years in prison.
The knife attack occurred at about 1.30pm on Thursday outside Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square. A five-year-old girl and the creche worker remain critically injured. A Brazilian Deliveroo driver, Caio Benicio, who used his helmet to subdue the suspect, condemned the subsequent riot, saying he had intervened to protect Irish people despite being an immigrant himself.
Police said the motive for the stabbing remains unclear but ruled out any terrorist link. Harris confirmed that more arrests would follow as officers review CCTV footage.
