Riots broke out in the city of Dublin, Ireland on Thursday night in reaction to a stabbing attack on three children and two adults. Early reports on social media suggested that the attacker was an immigrant from Algeria but at the time of this writing that has not been confirmed.
Whether or not that is true, it is clear that many of the rioters believed that is the truth and anger over Ireland’s liberal immigration policies drove the unrest.
FOX News reports:
Rioters clash with police, torch car after knife attack in DublinProtesters and rioters clashed with police officers and a police vehicle was set ablaze in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday evening after a knife attack that injured five, including three children.According to Irish media outlet RTÉ, rioters attacked gardaí, officers of the state police force Garda, and set a garda vehicle on fire.The bedlam unfolded on O’Connell Street and Parnell Square East, according to the outlet. Rioters were reported to have thrown fireworks and bottles at the officers.Authorities said more than 400 officers, including many in riot gear, were deployed to contain the unrest, which they blamed on “a small group of thugs.”A police cordon was established around the Irish Parliament building, Leinster House, and officers from the Mounted Support Unit were on nearby Grafton Street. Rioters set off flares and fireworks, while others grabbed chairs and stools outside bars and restaurants.
Here are some video clips:
RTE News in Ireland describes how the riots began:
A demonstration at the edge of the police cordon at the scene began from the early afternoon and escalated as the evening went on.A crowd of between 100 and 200 people, some of whom wore scarves to cover their faces, confronted gardaí verbally before clashes erupted with riot police.Tricolours and an “Irish lives matter” sign were held by some who were present.Fireworks and flares were thrown at police, and just before 7pm, a garda car was seen alight near the scene.People picked up furniture from nearby and were seen smashing it on the ground, some of whom appeared to be minors.Several small pushes were made by riot police down O’Connell Street and away from the scene, which appeared to temporarily scatter those gathered before they returned to confront police again.An empty Luas tram that had been left at a stop nearby had its windows smashed and was set on fire, before a major push by riot police down O’Connell Street.Some onlookers sheltered in a hotel lobby until the garda effort had moved down towards O’Connell Bridge – where a car and a bus were set alight.
Many of the usual suspects in the media are already rushing to define the riots as “far right.”
Featured image via YouTube.
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