Right-wing protests spark violence in Dublin after school stabbing

Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar denounced anti-immigrant protesters in Dublin who rioted following the stabbing of three children on Thursday, Nov. 23. The chaos — involving up to 500 people — led to 34 arrests as rioters looted shops and clashed with police. Rumors linking a foreign national to the school attack fueled the violence. Varadkar condemned the attacks on both innocent children and societal norms.

A 5-year-old girl remains in critical condition, a teacher’s aide sustained serious injuries and a 6-year-old is undergoing treatment for less severe injuries. The alleged assailant was subdued by witnesses and remains hospitalized in serious condition.

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“These people claim to be defending Irish citizens, yet they put in danger the newest and most vulnerable and most innocent people,” Varadkar said during a press conference. “Those involved brought shame on Dublin, brought shame on Ireland, and brought shame on their families and themselves. 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 us out of any sense of patriotism, however warped. They did so because they’re filled with hate, they love violence, they love chaos and they love causing pain to others.”

Prime Minister Varadkar warned of potential public infrastructure damage costs in Dublin in the tens of millions of euros. He encouraged shoppers to return to the city center despite the extensive damage.

Ireland’s police force leader, Commissioner Drew Harris, said there was an “element of radicalization” in the riots in Dublin.

“We have not seen public order situation like this before,” Harris said. “This may be behavior which is a part in other countries, but I think that we’ve seen an element of radicalization. We have seen a group of people who take literally a thimble full of facts, a make up of a bathtub of assumptions, hateful assumptions, and then conduct themselves in a way which is riotous and disruptive to our society.”  

Rioters destroyed 11 police vehicles, damaged 13 shops and looted more stores during clashes with police. During the more than three hours of violence, rioters destroyed three buses and a tram. The Irish national police deployed 400 police officers. A few sustained injuries, but no serious injuries were reported.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure that we police the streets,” Commissioner Harris said, condemning the misinformation being spread online. “And part of that is we ask people to act responsibly, not to listen to the misinformation and rumor that is circulating on social media. The facts are being established, but the facts are still not clear on a lot of the rumor and innuendo is being spread for malevolent purposes.”