Violent clashes broke out in central Dublin on Thursday evening, with vehicles torched and riot police attacked, after a 5-year-old girl was seriously injured in a knife attack earlier in the day that also saw a woman and two other young children hospitalized.
- 100 people took to the streets armed with metal bars and covering their faces
- Over 400 officers, many in riot gear, were deployed to contain the unrest
- Clashes with riot police ensued, with demonstrators setting off flares and fireworks
- Public transport in the city was suspended and many firms urged their staff to work from home
Violence erupts in Dublin in response to knife attack that wounded 3 children
Irish police said the girl was receiving emergency medical treatment in a Dublin hospital following the attack outside a school. Soon after that announcement, at least 100 people took to the streets, some armed with metal bars and covering their faces.
Unrest and Response
Police said over 400 officers, including many in riot gear, were deployed in Dublin city center to contain the unrest, which they said was “caused by a small group of thugs.” A police cordon was also set up around the Irish Parliament building, Leinster House, and officers from the Mounted Support Unit were in nearby Grafton Street.
Call for Calm
Police and politicians called for calm and warned against misinformation over the attack earlier in the day. “The scenes we are witnessing this evening in our city center cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Justice Minister Helen McEntee. “A thuggish and manipulative element must not be allowed to use an appalling tragedy to wreak havoc.”