Three children were among five people injured in a knife attack in Dublin city center on Thursday that police have not yet been able to ascribe a motive to or even whether it was linked to terrorism, sparking riots in the city centre.
Public transport has been suspended and patients have been advised not to travel to a nearby maternity ward unless absolutely necessary following clashes between riot police and anti-immigrant protesters near the main road of O’Connell Street shortly after the attack.
A double-decker bus was flattened in front of the Daniel O’Connell statue at the top of the street, and the windows of a Holiday Inn hotel and a nearby McDonald’s restaurant were broken. A Footlocker store was looted.
“These are shameful scenes. We have a completely insane and thuggish faction, driven by far-right ideology, engaged in serious violence,” Police Commissioner Drew Harris told reporters after sending 400 officers to restore the public order.
A police car was also set on fire.
Such riots are almost unprecedented in Dublin. There are no far-right parties or politicians elected to Parliament, but small anti-immigration protests have increased over the past year. The government is reviewing security around Parliament House after a recent protest trapped MPs inside.
Harris said all lines of inquiry into the attack remained open, contradicting a senior officer who earlier told reporters that police were satisfied the incident was not linked to terrorism.
“I’m not going to speculate further about terrorist motivations. Until we know for sure what the motive is, we need to keep an open mind as to why this happened,” he said.
A five-year-old girl was receiving emergency treatment after suffering serious stab wounds. A man in his 40s, also being treated for serious injuries, was arrested by police, who said they were not looking for any other suspects.
Police said the man attacked several people in Parnell Square in Dublin. People intervened in the initial phase of the attack.
A woman in her 30s was also treated for serious injuries, while the other two children, a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, suffered less serious injuries. The boy has already been released from hospital.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
