The stabbing of four people this Thursday in Dublin, three of them minors, has caused serious disturbances in the city centre, in which “thugs” from the “extreme right” have taken advantage of this incident to attack the Irish Police (Garda) and destroy public transportation and urban furniture, according to law enforcement sources.

A five-year-old girl in serious condition

The multiple stabbing that occurred this Thursday after 1:30 p.m. GMT, for which a five-year-old girl is in serious condition, was followed in the afternoon by a demonstration by anti-immigration groups around the scene of the incident, north of the capital.

The rally soon degenerated into attacks on the Garda with bottles, fireworks and other devices, until it spread to other parts of Dublin where crowds of young people began burning police cars, buses and trams.

The mob, distributed along different streets, also looted several stores in the center and even forced their way into a large shopping center, as shown in dozens of videos posted on social networks.

Attacks by groups of young people against police officers

The images circulating from cell phone to cell phone also captured several attacks by groups of young people against police officers who were isolated due to the confusion of the riots, described by the political class and authorities as the worst ever seen in this country.

The protests have caused the closure of several streets, where the police seemed to have regained control around 10:00 p.m., and public bus, rail and tram services have suspended some routes.

Irish President Michael D. Higgins has expressed concern for the victims of the “horrific” multiple stabbing, while praising police action during the riots.

“This appalling incident is in the hands of the Garda and the fact that it is used or abused by groups with an agenda that attacks the principle of social inclusion is reprehensible and condemnable, and deserves condemnation from all those who believe in the rule of law and democracy,” added Higgins, who holds a primarily representative position.

“A faction of far-right hooligans”

Previously, the head of the Garda, Drew Harris, described these protests as “shameful” and assured that they are driven by “a faction of hooligans” with “far-right ideology.”

Harris asked citizens to ignore “rumors” circulating on social media about the identity of the attacker, as they are “malicious information” disseminated by groups “for their own purposes.”

The Garda reported this Thursday that the knife attack that occurred in the center of Dublin “is not related to terrorism” and that it could be an “isolated” incident.

In an appearance before the media, Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty indicated that the investigation is now trying to establish the reasons why a man in his 50s, arrested at the same place as the attack, stabbed the woman today, the three minors and he also injured himself with a knife.

The suspect attacked several people in an area near a daycare center

The police official explained that the suspect attacked a number of people shortly after 1:30 p.m. GMT today in a busy area in the north of the capital and close to a daycare center.

Among the injured are a five-year-old girl who is in “serious condition” and a woman in her 30s, a school worker, who is receiving treatment for “serious injuries”, while the other two minors are out of danger.

According to Geraghty, the alleged aggressor, whose identity has not been revealed, is also hospitalized with stab wounds and is being interrogated to clarify the reasons for the attack, for which he urged citizens to remain calm and “avoid premature trials.”

Some media indicate that the suspect is a citizen who was not born in Ireland, although he has been living in this country for more than 20 years and has an Irish passport.

In statements to the Irish public broadcaster RTE, Siobhan Kearney, a witness to the event, explained how she tried to help, with the assistance of another citizen, in a situation she described as “absolute chaos.”

“I looked to the other side of the street and saw the man and the stabbing gestures in front of many children, so I crossed the road. The man had just stabbed two children,” said the witness.

Kearney noted that several people “tried to attack the suspect” and that she and another “American lady” formed a circle “around the man.”

“Three minutes later,” he added, “the ambulance arrived to take the children and then another ambulance and firefighters to deal with the man on the ground.”

The attack area has been cordoned off to facilitate forensic examinations.

The Garda have indicated that they “have a definite line of inquiry” underway and are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.