Violent and disturbing scenes erupted on the streets of Dublin on Thursday night as rioters caused chaos following a knife attack on five people, including three children in the Irish capital.
Public transport was set ablaze and shops were looted as a gang labeled by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris as a “complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology” took to the streets in protest.
More than 400 Irish police officers were involved in the height of the response to a riot in Dublin.
In a video statement on social media, Garda Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin said some members of the police force had been attacked and assaulted.
However, he said no serious injuries had been reported by gardai or members of the public. Gardai remain on patrol in the city centre.
Mr McMenamin said: “Dublin city centre is now calm and returning to normal.”
The chief superintendent said the thoughts of the police service are with the victims of the assault in Parnell Square earlier in the day.
Speaking about the riot, he said: “The violence had nothing whatsoever to do with a serious assault which occurred this afternoon on Parnell Square, it was gratuitous thuggery.”
One of Ireland's most prominent celebrities, the former UFC champion Conor McGregor, has been vocal about the stabbing incident and the violence that unfolded as a consequence.
Hours before the riot, McGregor called for 'war' after complaining about non-Irish people being allowed to vote in Irish elections. He tweeted: "US allows non residents to vote? Visitors can vote? I can fly in now and register a vote in the United States elections? Surely not. However, Ireland's current government is proposing this. A disgrace! A shame! Hang their heads in shame! The Working man is the real hero! Ireland, we are at war. Do not let any irish property be took over unannounced. Evaporate said property. It's a war."
McGregor then doubled down and attacked Harris for his statement on the riot calling it "not good enough."
He later called for more 'action' on the stabbing claiming there was "no action being taken at all during these ever more frequent events."
The UFC fighter then aimed his vitriol at Ireland's political establishment calling on them to "fix this situation IMMEDIATELY."
McGregor then shared a picture of a burnt out bus asking what the great Irish historical figure Daniel O'Connell would say about the events that unfolded in Dublin.
The 35-year-old then called for the knife attacker to experience 'torture and death' as a result of the crime but did find time to praise a Brazilian man for helping to intervene at the scene and stopped the attack from getting any worse.
McGregor then called a journalist who showed up to report on the stabbing 'weak and feeble'. He added: "One of the most horrific crimes this nation ever seen has occurred, we do not care anymore what you sad cases have got to say. In a war you are nothing. We are not backing down, we are only warming up. There will be no backing down until real change is implemented for the safety of our nation."
McGregor has been widely condemned for the outburst.
Irish Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said while the scenes in Dublin on Thursday were shocking, gardai “contained this for the most part to a very small area”.
“This was our main thoroughfare and I acknowledge that and I think the scenes are incomprehensible,” she told RTE.
“By midnight last night order had been restored to our city, but this was a violent mob of thugs and criminals whose sole focus was to wreak havoc and it is a very volatile situation.
“There were a huge number of gardai who were assaulted, who were spat at, who were the victims of vitriol and hate themselves.
“I cannot commend them enough. I think they responded in the way that they felt was appropriate and that was required, and they are trained. They’re the people on the ground who do this day in, day out.
“Gardai will take what happened last night, they will adapt their response and they will make sure that from this morning, throughout the day and over the weekend, there is a strong presence and that they stop any type of gathering like this from happening again.
“There will be a very strong presence on the ground, but they will of course monitor any movement, any chat, or anything that’s happening online today.”
Additional reporting by PA.
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