Dublin riots – latest: Stabbing suspect ‘may have suffered permanent brain injuries’

Some 500 people took part in riots on Thursday night following knife attack that left several injured

Emergency services at scene of ‘stabbing near school’ in Dublin city centre

The suspect in the Dublin nursery stabbing which sparked violent riots in Ireland’s capital has suffered “extensive” brain injuries which “may be permanent”, it has been claimed.

An Garda Siochana did not comment on claims by a source who told the Irish Mirror that the suspect “is in a bad way”, adding: “His head injuries are extensive and may be permanent.”

It comes as the five-year-old girl who was stabbed remains in critical condition at CHI Temple Street, while the children’s care assistant, a woman aged in her 30s, is in a serious but stable condition in The Mater Hospital.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald insisted on Monday that justice minister Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris’s positions were “untenable”, warning that “we now have a scenario where people do not feel safe in parts of Dublin's inner city”.

Ireland’s further education minister Simon Harris pledged that there would be a “full review” of the policing of the riots which engulfed parts of central Dublin on Thursday, which he condemned as “absolute opportunistic criminality and thuggery”.

Key Points

• Stabbing suspect ‘may have suffered permanent brain injuries’, source claims
• Police give update on stabbing victims
• Girl, 5, critical as 32 charged over ‘huge destruction’ riots
• Rioters driven by ‘hate’ not patriotism - Varadkar
• Irish police trawl through 6,000 hours of CCTV footage in Dublin riots probe
• How the Dublin riots began

[25 November 2023 11:00 · Tara Cobham]

Justice Minister insists Garda has resources to keep Dublin safe over weekend

The Irish Justice Minister has insisted that the Garda has all the resources necessary to keep people in Dublin safe over the weekend.

Helen McEntee said this included securing the use of two water cannons from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Members of the Garda Public Order Unit detain a man on Friday, following a riot in the aftermath of a school stabbing that left several children and adults injured, in Dublin, Ireland (REUTERS)

[25 November 2023 10:30 · Tara Cobham]

Irish Justice Minister vows further arrests will follow in wake of Dublin riots

Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee has vowed that further arrests would follow the 34 already made in the wake of the riots in Dublin.

Some 32 people have so far been charged in connection to the disorder that broke out in the capital following a knife attack that left five people injured, including a five-year-old girl who is still fighting for her life.

Fireworks were thrown at police officers in the riots in Dublin on Thursday (REUTERS)

[25 November 2023 09:15 · Tara Cobham]

Dublin City Centre is ‘open for normal business’, says Garda

Dublin City Centre is “open for normal business”, Garda has said.

An enhanced policing plan was in place on Friday evening, said the force, after the violent riots that erupted in the Irish capital this week.

It comes as shoppers are expected to descend on high streets across the country for Black Friday weekend.

[25 November 2023 08:31 · Tara Cobham]

Conor McGregor reacts to Dublin riots after declaring Ireland is ‘at war’

Conor McGregor has said he ‘does not condone’ the riots in Dublin but insisted that a ‘change’ must occur, after a knife attack left five people injured – including three children.

A five-year-old girl was left in critical condition after an attack in Dublin on Thursday (23 November), which led to violent protests in the Irish capital.

Former UFC champion McGregor was quick to criticise the government’s reaction to the stabbing, having already been vocal this week after the sentencing of Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old Slovak who was jailed for life over the murder of 23-year-old Irish woman Ashling Murphy.

Alex Pattle, Combat Sports Correspondent reports:

[25 November 2023 08:00 · Anuj Pant]

Irish police trawl through 6,000 hours of CCTV footage in Dublin riots probe

Police in Ireland are trawling through 6,000 hours of CCTV footage as a major investigation into riots in Dublin’s city centre continues.

The violence in the Irish capital on Thursday – which involved far-right elements and saw Garda cars, buses and trams set alight and shops looted and damaged – flared after a knife attack on three children and their care assistant outside a school in the north inner city.

Justice minister Helen McEntee also told colleagues that officers are trawling 6,000 hours of CCTV footage and vowed that further arrests would follow the 34 already made.

Ms McEntee also rejected a call from Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald for her and Garda commissioner Drew Harris to resign.

Read more below.

[25 November 2023 07:00 · Holly Evans]

Garda have ‘all resources necessary’ to keep people safe following Dublin riots

Ireland’s police force has all the resources necessary to keep people in Dublin safe over the weekend, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has vowed.

Ms McEntee also responded to criticism of the violent scenes in the city centre on Thursday night that saw Garda cars, buses and trams set alight and shops looted and damaged, by insisting she would not resign.

The violence in the Irish capital, which involved far-right elements, flared after a knife attack on three schoolchildren and their care assistant outside a school in the north inner city.

Read the full article here

[25 November 2023 06:00 · Holly Evans]

Legislation for police to use body-worn cameras to be fast-tracked

Legislation allowing Garda officers to use body-worn cameras is to be fast-tracked, Irish ministers have been told.

Ministers met on Friday evening to discuss the response to violence which flared in Dublin city centre on Thursday evening.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee told the meeting that Garda are trawling 6,000 hours of CCTV footage and further arrests are certain.

She also briefed that the Recordings Devices Bill will be fast-tracked and enacted in the near future, allowing body-worn cameras to come into use for gardai.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told ministers he had spoken with the principal of the Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire school, outside which three children and a woman were stabbed on Thursday, as well the manager of the Children’s Place Nursery and Montessori and representatives of the Dublin business community.

[25 November 2023 05:00 · Holly Evans]

How the Dublin riots began

The riots that broke out across Dublin city centre on Thursday evening appear to have begun as a heated demonstration at the scene of a tragic incident that took place earlier in the day, Irish police have said.

Three young children and an adult woman and man were all injured in a knife attack outside the Irish-medium primary school Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire on Parnell Square East at approximately 1.30pm on Thursday lunchtime, an incident that immediately made headlines.

Two girls hurt in the attack are currently receiving treatment for serious injuries while a five-year-old boy has already been discharged from hospital. Both adults remain in care and are being treated for serious wounds.

Read the full article here

[25 November 2023 04:00 · Holly Evans]

‘Nobody could have anticipated’ Dublin violence, says Ireland police chief

[25 November 2023 03:00 · Holly Evans]

Delivery driver who stopped attacker in Dublin recalls harrowing incident