Moment ‘hooligans’ set cop car on FIRE as riots & looting erupt after 3 kids and creche worker stabbed in Dublin horror
SHOCKING footage has shown the moment yobs set a cop car on fire before looting businesses as riots erupted on the streets of Dublin.
Chaos started unfolding in the Irish capital last night after three children and a creche worker were stabbed outside a nursery.
The “thugs” were said to be fuelled by unconfirmed rumours about the nationality of the alleged knifeman – with Gardai dubbing it “misinformation”.
Horror clips are now being shared online of the violent yobs rushing through the streets, trying to fight cops, setting vehicles and businesses alight, and looting stores.
It comes after “absolute bedlam” broke out around midday as a boy and two girls, all under the age of six, were knifed in the city’s centre.
The children were said to be lining up outside a nursery – close to Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire school – when the attack unfolded.
The youngsters’ carer, a woman in her 30s, was also injured along with a man in his 50s.
All five were raced to hospital, and all but the schoolboy were expecting to be kept on wards overnight as medics tended to their “serious” injuries.
In the hours that followed the knife rampage, Gardai kept a cordon around the scene.
But when darkness fell protestors started clashing at the taped area in what police have called “lunatic” behaviour.
Yobs – fuelled by unconfirmed online speculation about the alleged attacker’s nationality – threw bottles at cops and set a cop car, bus and tram alight.
A shocking clip showed a “hooligan” setting a cardboard box on fire before rushing it across the road and placing it inside a Gardai vehicle.
Within seconds the emergency vehicle was engulfed in flames.
Another horror video showed masked yobs inside a Foot Locker store with smashed glass out the front, before they could be seen rushing out with pairs of shoes in hand.
Other clips showed looters running through the streets with arms full of new clothes, still on the hangers.
Officers were forced to don riot gear and hold their shields high as groups fired flares and fireworks at them – while throwing punches and kicks, too.
The yobs could also be seen smashing windows and hurling anything they could at stores.
Other footage showed buildings alight – one was said to be an immigration centre and another an accommodation.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris this evening described the chaos as “disgraceful scenes”.
‘THUGS’ WREAK HAVOC
He said: “We have a complete lunatic hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology, and also then this disruptive tendency engaged in serious violence.
“It’s our responsibility to make sure that we police the streets, and part of that is we ask people to act responsibly and not to listen to the misinformation and rumour that is circulating on social media.
“The facts are being established, but the facts are still not clear on a lot of the rumour and the innuendo is being spread for malevolent purposes.”
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee added that the clashes “cannot and will not be tolerated”.
She said: “A thuggish and manipulative element must not be allowed use an appalling tragedy to wreak havoc.
“I would appeal for calm in the city centre as An Garda Siochana carry out their work – attacks on members of An Garda Siochana must be utterly condemned and will be dealt with severely.”
It comes after witnesses say “absolute bedlam” exploded near Dublin’s Parnell Square East at around 1pm today as children queued outside a nursery.
Onlookers claimed a knifeman attacked the youngsters and a carer and passersby tried to intervene.
The passerby has since been revealed as Deliveroo driver Caio Benicio to jumped off his motorbike, took off his helmet and hit the attacker with it.
He told The Journal: “I didn’t even make a decision, it was pure instinct, and it was all over in seconds. He fell to the ground, I didn’t see where knife went, and other people stepped in.
“I have two kids myself, so I had to do something. I did what anyone would do.
“People were there but they couldn’t step in because he was armed, but I knew I could use my helmet as a weapon.”
Gardai said the two schoolgirls, aged five and six, would remain in hospital overnight, while the young boy, five, had been discharged after the “evil” stabbing spree on “innocent” kids.
The force said the woman who worked at the creche and cared for the kids was stabbed and seriously injured as she tried to stop the alleged knifeman.
The force confirmed a man in his 50s was a person of interest, and that officers were not looking for anyone further at the moment.
‘SERIOUSLY INJURED’ KIDS
In a statement this afternoon, Gardai said: “Preliminary indications are that a male attacked a number of people on Parnell Square East.
“Five casualties have been taken to hospitals in the Dublin Region. These casualties include three young children, an adult female and an adult male.
“One girl aged five has sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving emergency medical treatment in CHI Temple Street.
“A boy aged five and a girl aged six years, who received less serious injuries were brought to CHI Crumlin for treatment. The boy has since been discharged from CHI Crumlin.
“An Garda Síochána is providing support to the children’s parents.
“The adult female in her 30s is being treated for serious injuries at the Mater Hospital.
“An adult male in his 50s is also being treated for serious injuries at a Hospital in the Dublin Region.”
It added: “An Garda Síochána is following a definite line of inquiry. The male in his 50s is a person of interest in this investigation. An Garda Síochána is not looking for any other person at this time.”