Dramatic Riots in Dublin Sparked by Violent Stabbing Incident: What’s Behind the Sudden Unrest in Ireland?

Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters/NTBPhoto: Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters/NTB

The citizens of Dublin woke up to dramatic scenes on Friday.

Violent riots broke out between several hundred people and the police on Thursday evening.

Ireland has been characterized by little political unrest. Why is this suddenly happening?

The stabbing of a five-year-old started it all. The incident is an example of a trend throughout Europe, according to experts.

Published: 24/11/2023 22:35 | Updated: 24/11/2023 23:04

The short version

A stabbing involving four people sparked violent riots in Dublin on Thursday.

The summary is created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and quality assured by Aftenposten’s journalists.

Short version is for subscribers only

On Thursday afternoon, four people were involved in an incident of violence in the Irish capital.

A few hours later: A crowd of between 200 and 300 people are in violent clashes with the police.

More than a dozen shops were vandalized and looted. Police cars, buses and a tram were destroyed and several of them set on fire. 34 people have been arrested.

A tram was set on fire and completely destroyed during the riots in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless, PA/AP/NTB

Sea view

The Chief Constable in Ireland, Drew Harris, has called the incident “extraordinary”, according to BBC.

What really happened in Dublin on Thursday?

Five and six-year-old stabbed

It was at 1pm on Thursday that the police responded to a knife incident near a primary school in Dublin.

Two girls aged five and six and a woman were injured. The five-year-old’s condition is said to be critical.

A man in his 40s was also injured. He is also a suspect in the case.

What is the relationship between the four is unknown.

Thinks the far right is behind it

A few hours later, a small group of people gathered at the scene to demonstrate against immigration.

It is alleged that the man suspected of the stabbing is a foreign national.

According to the BBC’s sources, however, he is an Irish citizen who has lived in the country for 20 years.

The small demonstration quickly escalated. During the evening, several hundred people were involved in the violent riots.

The riots are also said to have escalated due to activity and sharing in social media.

The Irish police arrest a man on Thursday evening. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters/NTB

Sea view

The Irish police chief is clear about who he believes is to blame:

– And bile, hooliganhooliganA hooligan is a bully or miscreant, who often uses violence. The word is particularly used for football supporters, but does not necessarily have to be about this.– group driven by far-right ideology.

Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee has stated that a “violent mob of thugs and criminals who only wanted to cause chaos” is responsible for the riots.

34 people have been arrested. 28 men and four women have been charged with theft and disorderly conduct.

Worse economy – more scepticism

Thursday’s events are an example of a larger trend in Europe, says senior lecturer at the University of Agder, Erik Mustad.

It is about worse economic times.

The destruction in Dublin on Friday was great. Several shops have been vandalized and looted. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters/NTB

Sea view

– Inflation, expensive times and high prices often coincide with skepticism about immigration.

The growing skepticism of immigration can also be seen in Great Britain, France, Italy and elsewhere in Europe. On Wednesday this week at the latest, Geert Wilders and his Islam-critical party made a snap election in the Netherlands.

Now the wave of skepticism has also reached Ireland, which has otherwise experienced little unrest related to immigration. But now that the small Irish economy has been under pressure for many years, skepticism has skyrocketed.

– Is the fear justified then?

– This is probably more in people’s heads. It is not shown in any statistics that immigrants take people’s jobs.

It is more often that the immigrants take the low-ranking jobs that the Irish do not want to take themselves, Mustad believes.

2023-11-24 21:35:54
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