At least three children were injured Thursday, one of them seriously, in an alleged multiple stabbing near a school in the center of Dublin, Ireland. Local media have reported that at least one person has been identified as a possible attacker, and a large knife was seized at the scene, in Parnell Square East. In total, along with the attacker, five people have been hospitalized.
🚨Breaking News🚨
In Central Dublin at least three children aged around 5 & a woman have been stabbed. pic.twitter.com/dpPNYO4qwW
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) November 23, 2023
Police have blocked off the area and emergency services have been working on scene.
The Irish Times reported that it seems that a man tried to attack several young people, including several children, and that several passers-by intervened. Some of them were injured to varying degrees.
"I am deeply shocked by the appalling attack on three innocent children and a woman in Dublin today,” Justice Minister Helen McEntee said in a statement. She also reported that, for the time being, police are not looking for other suspects.
This attack has shocked us all, and I have no doubt that the person responsible will be brought to justice.
— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) November 23, 2023
The Irish Prime Minister (or Taoiseach), Leo Varadkar, issued a statement thanking emergency services for responding "very quickly.” He said that "the facts in this matter are still emerging.”
Taoiseach @LeoVaradkar’s statement on the incident at Parnell Square earlier today pic.twitter.com/Icxol7EncR
— Louise Burne (@louiseburne_) November 23, 2023
Riots in the streets of Dublin
Thursday's event in Dublin aroused the anger of a large part of Irish citizens who gathered in the streets to protest what happened. According to a spokesmen for the authorities, it is "hooligan factions driven by extreme right-wing ideology" that are causing these disturbances.
#VIDEO | Estallaron violentas protestas en Dublín, Irlanda, después del ataque con cuchillo frente a una escuela que dejó tres niños heridos.
Una multitud que coreaba consignas antiinmigrantes prendió fuego varios vehículos y se enfrentó a varios policías. 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/lJvhJ4VVl2
— VOZ (@VozMediaUSA) November 23, 2023
In the videos circulating on social networks, the demonstrators can be heard demanding the expulsion of migrants from Ireland. The reason is that since the attack was reported on Thursday, several hypotheses point to the attacker being an Algerian immigrant residing illegally in Ireland. No official source confirmed this information for the moment.
#VIDEO | Estallaron violentas protestas en Dublín, Irlanda, después del ataque con cuchillo frente a una escuela que dejó tres niños heridos.
Una multitud que coreaba consignas antiinmigrantes prendió fuego varios vehículos y se enfrentó a varios policías. 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/lJvhJ4VVl2
— VOZ (@VozMediaUSA) November 23, 2023
In videos circulating on social networks, and confirmed by local media in Dublin, groups of individuals can be seen looting businesses in several streets of the Irish capital. Several incidents were also reported resulting in the burning of a police car as well as a double-decker bus. The local rail network was also affected by fires.
Terrorist attack ruled out
What the authorities did confirm is that there is no terrorism-related motive behind the attack. The only detail that is known with some veracity about the main suspect is that he is a 50-year-old male. For these reasons, the authorities called for calm.
This is a developing story.
