OAN’s Geraldyn Berry
1:50 PM – Friday, November 24, 2023
34 individuals were arrested by the police in connection to the riots that engulfed Dublin, Ireland on Thursday regarding the stabbing attack on children outside an elementary school earlier in the day, leading to the burning of cars and a bus.
On Friday, Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar criticized the anti-immigrant protesters who violently rampaged through central Dublin. He asserted that the rioters were motivated by a desire to create chaos rather than to safeguard the country’s way of life.
Approximately 500 people had engaged in disorderly conduct, looting about a dozen stores, and pelting crowd control officers—equipped with helmets and shields—with rocks and bottles. An empty tram train left at a stop had its windows shattered and was set ablaze.
Over 400 officers, a considerable number in riot gear, were strategically positioned across the city center to manage the unrest. A perimeter was established around the Irish Parliament building, Leinster House, while mounted officers were sent to patrol the adjacent Grafton Street.
Drew Harris, the Garda Commissioner and leader of Ireland’s national police force, stated that during confrontations with rioters, one officer sustained severe injuries. Some of the rioters were armed with metal bars and wore facial coverings.
The violence erupted amid reports suggesting that a foreign national was responsible for the earlier stabbing near an elementary school on Thursday afternoon. The suspect, identified as of Algerian descent and a naturalized Irish citizen, attacked three children with a knife outside an elementary school in the city center shortly after 1:30 p.m. According to RTE, A 5-year-old girl sustained serious injuries, while the two other children, a boy and a girl, suffered minor injuries. A motive for the attack is unknown, and police are understood to be ruling out terrorism.
Caio Benicio, a delivery driver originally from Brazil, came to the rescue by using his helmet to strike the alleged suspect. Numerous onlookers collaborated to subdue the assailant until the arrival of the police. The suspect is currently hospitalized in serious condition.
During the riots, the Irish police established a cordon in the region, prompting the gathering of protesters who confronted law enforcement. Among the demonstrators, one individual was observed holding a sign that read “Irish Lives Matter,” while others waved the Irish tricolor.
The disturbances ensued after numerous peaceful protests across the country, where individuals expressed concerns about safety related to an influx of immigrants and their perceived impact on draining state resources.
In the 12 months leading up to April, Ireland had welcomed over 141,000 immigrants, marking the highest figure since 2007, according to the most recent government data. This surge in migrants has resulted in an 11.7% growth in Ireland’s population over the past 11 years, consequently contributing to a sustained rise in housing prices.
Varadkar said Ireland’s capital had endured two attacks, one on innocent children and the other on “our society and the rule of law.”
“These criminals did not do what they did because they love Ireland, they did not do what they did because they wanted to protect Irish people, they did not do it out of any sense of patriotism, however warped,” Varadkar told reporters on Friday morning. “They did so because they’re filled with hate, they love violence, they love chaos and they love causing pain to others.”
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