DUBLIN: Three young children were among five people injured in a knife attack in Dublin on Thursday that sparked riots in the city centre and which police have not yet ruled out any motive over, including whether it could be terror-related.
Public transport was suspended and patients advised not to travel to a nearby maternity hospital unless absolutely necessary after clashes between riot police and anti-immigrant protesters, who arrived at the scene of the attack beside the main thoroughfare of O'Connell Street.
A double decker bus was burned to the ground in front of the Daniel O'Connell statue at the head of the street and windows were smashed at a nearby Holiday Inn hotel and McDonalds restaurant. A Footlocker store was looted.
"They are disgraceful scenes. We have a complete lunatic, hooligan faction driven by far right ideology engaged in serious violence," Police Commissioner Drew Harris told reporters after deploying 400 officers to restore public order.
A police car was also burnt out.
Such rioting is almost unprecedented in Dublin. There are no far right parties or politicians elected to parliament, but small anti-immigrant protests have grown in the last year. The government is reviewing security around parliament after a recent protest trapped lawmakers inside.
Harris said all lines of inquiry related to the attack remained open, contradicting a senior officer who had earlier told reporters that police were satisfied the incident was not terror-related.
"I'm not going to speculate any further in respect of a terrorist motive. Until we're sure what the motive is, we have to keep an open mind as to why this happened," he said.
A five-year-old girl was receiving emergency treatment after sustaining serious injuries in the stabbing. A man in his late 40s, also being treated for serious injuries, was arrested by police who said they are not looking for any other suspect.
Police said it appeared the man attacked a number of people on Dublin's Parnell Square shortly after 1330 GMT. Members of the public intervened at an early stage of the attack.
A woman in her 30s was also being treated for serious injuries while the two other children, a five-year-old boy and six-year-old girl, suffered less serious injuries. The boy has been discharged from hospital.
"There was complete and utter pandemonium, women wailing, men screaming and crying," Anthony Boyle, 31, an IT consultant who lives on the road and was passing by told Reuters.
SOW DIVISION
The scene was still sealed off shortly before 1800 GMT when a group of around 50 anti-immigrant protesters briefly broke through a police barrier. Some shouted "get them out" and one kicked the wing mirror off a police car. Another was draped in an Irish flag.
A larger crowd then began throwing objects and firing fireworks at riot police in helmets and shields, once they were deployed, and the rioting spiraled out of control. The crowds began to disperse around 2100 GMT.
Police would not comment on the nationality of the detained man.
Net migration among Ireland's 5.3 million population rose to its second highest level since records began in the 12 months to April and around 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived since Russia's invasion, among the highest per capita in the EU.
"There is a group of people, thugs, criminals, who are using this appalling attack to sow division," Justice Minister Helen McEntee told reporters.
"Every force possible is being used by the Gardai (police) to restore order. This will not be tolerated."
Reuters
Fri Nov 24 2023
Fireworks are thrown at police officers as a riot breaks out following a school stabbing that left several children and adults injured, in Dublin, Ireland, November 23, 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Malaysia sedia jalin kerjasama rapat dengan Arab Saudi dalam bidang tenaga diperbaharui
Malaysia sedia menjalin kerjasama rapat dengan Arab Saudi bagi meneroka potensi usaha sama serta bertukar-tukar ilmu dan pengalaman dalam bidang tenaga diperbaharui.
Kumpulan pro-ganja di Thailand bertemu Menteri Kesihatan
Kumpulan pro-ganja di Thailand berkumpul di Kementerian Kesihatan pada Khamis untuk membantah rancangan kerajaan menyenaraikan semula ganja sebagai dadah.
Jiran suspek bimbang, terkejut
Penduduk yang tinggal di kawasan kejiranan suspek yang menembak Perdana Menteri Slovakia, Robert Fico, mengakui bimbang dan terkejut, sehari selepas cubaan membunuh yang mendedahkan perpecahan politik di negara itu.
PM Slovakia ditembak: Jiran suspek bimbang, terkejut
Penduduk yang tinggal di kawasan kejiranan suspek yang menembak Perdana Menteri Slovakia, Robert Fico, mengakui bimbang dan terkejut, sehari selepas cubaan membunuh yang mendedahkan perpecahan politik di negara itu.
[TERKINI] Suspek sudah didakwa atas cubaan membunuh
Penembak itu bertindak bersendirian dan pernah mengambil bahagian dalam protes antikerajaan.
Cabaran penuhi citarasa jemaah dalam peraturan ketat Arab Saudi
Cabaran untuk menepati peraturan dan undang-undang kerajaan Arab Saudi yang lebih ketat berbanding di Malaysia antara kekangan utama buat petugas katering dalam operasi haji musim 1445M/2024 dalam menyediakan 2 juta pek makanan buat jemaah.
Wanita warga emas maut dilanggar kereta mengundur
Seorang wanita warga emas meninggal dunia dilanggar keretanya sendiri yang bergerak dalam keadaan mengundur, dipercayai akibat terlupa menarik brek tangan.
Perodua Masters: Hampir 300 pemain bakal berentap dalam edisi 2024
Biarpun pusingan kelayakan Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 sudah berakhir, namun kejohanan itu tetap berjaya menarik penyertaan bintang dalam Top10 ranking dunia.
Sistem pendidikan harus di depan, terajui digitalisasi
Apa yang dibimbangi ketika ini ialah jika sistem pendidikan mampu bergerak seiring dengan kepesatan pembangunan khususnya dalam teknologi digital.
Lebih 1,000 individu ditahan di Kelantan
Polis menahan sejumlah 1,488 individu atas pelbagai kesalahan dadah dalam Operasi Tapis Bersepadu di seluruh Kelantan bagi tempoh 29 April hingga 15 Mei.
Resipi Nasi Lemak Bunga Telang rangkul emas, julang nama chef Malaysia di Ireland!
MALAYSIA sekali lagi berada di pentas dunia apabila seorang chef muda Malaysia meraih pingat emas dalam sebuah pertandingan masakan di Dublin, Ireland.
Muhammad Shah menang gangsa acara keirin di Dublin
Walaupun terpaksa menunggu seharian dalam keadaan hujan dan cuaca sejuk, beliau mengelakkan pasukan negara pulang dengan tangan kosong.
#MataKantaAWANI: Hamparan luas
Taman negara di kawasan pergunungan ini menjadi tarikan alam popular bagi sesiapa yang mengunjungi Dublin, Ireland.