CHAOS broke out near where three children were stabbed in a mad rampage outside a Dublin nursery today.
Shocking footage shows a police car and other vehicles on fire as gardai in riot gear try to fend off violent protesters.
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Chaos broke out at the Gardai cordon set up after the stabbings of children in Dublin todayCredit: Collins
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Protesters clashed with police on the streets of the Irish capital this eveningCredit: Reuters
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Gardai said the protests came from a place of ‘misinformation’Credit: Collins
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It came after police swarmed the city center at around 1pm after an alleged knife-wielding attacker began attacking schoolchildrenCredit: Photocall Ireland
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Three youths and two adults were taken to hospital after the horror happenedCredit: Collins Photos
Gardai say the riots were sparked by “misinformation” being spread online about today’s terrifying knife rampage.
It came after what was said to be an “absolute frenzy” when a boy and two girls, all under the age of six, were stabbed hours earlier in the city centre.
The young man’s carer, a woman in her 30s, and a man in his 50s, who is said to have tried to prevent the attack, were also seriously injured in the horrific knife attack.
But this evening Gardai guarding the scene of the rampage found themselves face-to-face with protesters as the riot unfolded on the cordon.
Protesters – fueled by unconfirmed online speculation about the alleged attacker’s nationality – threw bottles at officers and set fire to a police car, a bus and a tram.
The group set off flares and fireworks as police officers with shields tried to fend off violent protesters who could be seen trying to kick and punch them.
Dozens of masked yobs could be seen swarming Gardai on the streets of the Irish capital – with horror footage showing officers being punched and knocked to the ground.
The groups cornered the officers who were forced to stand together against the wall to protect themselves behind shields.
Young people could also be seen smashing shop windows and throwing whatever they could at shops – and people were also seen looting businesses.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris tonight described the chaos as “disgraceful scenes”.
He said: “We have a completely insane hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology, and also this destructive tendency is involved in serious violence.
“It’s our responsibility to make sure the police are on the streets, and part of that is asking people to behave responsibly and not listen to misinformation and rumors circulating on social media.
“The facts are being established, but the facts are still not clear regarding much of the rumor and innuendo being spread for malicious purposes.”
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee added that the clashes “cannot and will not be tolerated”.
‘A REAL TRAGEDY’
She said: “A violent and manipulative element must not be allowed to use a terrible tragedy to wreak havoc.
“I would appeal for calm in the city center while An Garda Siochana carry out their work – attacks on members of An Garda Siochana must be condemned in the strongest terms and will be dealt with severely.
“I’m meeting with the Chief Garda tonight to discuss the plan for policing the city tonight.
“Most importantly, we must remember the true tragedy of today and allow the investigations to take their course.”
It came after witnesses said an “absolute stampede” erupted near Parnell Square East at around 1pm today as children queued outside the nursery.
Onlookers claimed that the young man attacked with a knife, and the nurse and passers-by tried to intervene.
Gardai said the two schoolgirls will remain in hospital overnight, while the boy has been discharged after the “vicious” knife attack on the “innocent” children.
Police said a woman who worked at a nursery and looked after children was stabbed and seriously injured while trying to stop the alleged knife attacker.
A bystander who helped subdue the alleged attacker – a man said to be carrying a “large knife” – is also in hospital with a stab wound.
PEOPLE HEARD A ‘MOAN’
Police have confirmed that the man in his 50s is a person of interest and that officers are not currently looking for anyone else.
Emergency services remained near Gaelscoil Cóláiste Mhuire, an Irish language school, for hours after the attack.
Anthony Boyle, 31, who lives on the road, told Reuters: “I saw a child on the ground, a girl.
“There was complete pandemonium, women wailing, men screaming and crying.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said gardai detained the suspect following the attack and offered their thoughts and prayers to the victims.
He said this afternoon’s horror had “shocked” Ireland to its core.
While Dublin Mayor Daithí de Róiste said: “To think that this kind of evil could happen, especially to innocent children, is just devastating.”
A witness told the Irish Times that they saw a man attacking the group at around 1pm.
Siobhan Kearney said she “flew across the road” when she saw a man “stabbing” a group of children.
‘ABSOLUTE BEDLAM’
She told RTE: “Without thinking I just crossed the road to help. We caught another young man, disarmed him [the attacker] with a knife, the other man took the knife and put it away for the garda to find.
“They returned the two children and the woman to the school from where they came. It was absolute bedlam.
“The man wanted to stab two children, as far as I could make out, and we picked up the children on the left with the women who were there and the teachers, I guess.
“People were trying to attack the man, so me and an American woman formed a ring around the man.
“And then about three minutes later an ambulance came to get the kids, and then another ambulance and the fire department came to get the man on the ground.”
Gardai this afternoon ruled out any potential terrorist link to the attack but said they were “not in a position” to provide any further details.
Councilor Nial Ring spoke to a woman at the scene who reportedly helped subdue the alleged attacker with the help of another man.
He told DublinLive: “I also spoke to the lady… when I saw the attack I confronted the attacker with another man… and managed to get the knife off him.
Those two citizens are real heroes and probably prevented even more carnage.
THE CHILDREN RAN TO THE HOSPITALS
In a statement this afternoon, gardai said: “Preliminary indications are that a man assaulted a number of people in Parnell Square East.
“Five injured people have been taken to hospitals in the Dublin region. These victims include three small children, an adult woman and an adult man.
“One five-year-old girl has suffered serious injuries and is currently being treated at CHI Temple Street.
“A five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, who suffered minor injuries, were taken to CHI Crumlin for treatment. The boy has since been discharged from CHI Crumlin.
“The Garda Síochána is supporting the parents of the children.
“An adult woman in her 30s is being treated for serious injuries at Mater Hospital.
“An adult man in his 50s is also being treated for serious injuries at a hospital in the Dublin region.
“The venue is currently closed and a technical inspection of the venue is underway.
“An incident room has been established at Mountjoy Garda Station and a senior investigator has been appointed.
“The Garda Síochána are following a specific line of inquiry. A man in his 50s is a person of interest to this investigation. The Garda Síochána are not looking for any other individuals at this time.”
THE HERO ‘DEALED’ WITH THE ATTACKER
However, police said they were still keeping an “open mind”.
The Garda Commissioner also hailed the heroes who jumped in to try and disarm the man.
It said: “Yes, indeed, it appears that after the incident itself and as part of the incident itself, members of the public who were passing by intervened and actually tackled this individual and that enabled the police to arrest this individual.”
The force asked anyone with information to come forward, adding: “Gardaí investigating are also appealing to anyone who may have mobile phone footage of the attack or the immediate aftermath of the attack to make those footage available to the Garda Síochána.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station 01 6668600 Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
“The Garda Síochána are not in a position to provide any further information at this early stage of the investigation.”
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Emergency services rushed to the scene near Parnell Square East in central DublinCredit: Photocall Ireland
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In a statement this afternoon, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Gardai had detained a suspect following the attackCredit: Collins Photos
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Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee described the incident in central Dublin as a ‘horrific attack’Credit: Photocall Ireland
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A witness told The Irish Times that the man began attacking the group near Parnell Square East at around 1.45pm Credit: Collins Photos
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Emergency services attended the scene and appear to be concentrated around Gaelscoil Cóláiste Mhuire, an Irish language school Credit: Collins Photos
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education