A HUGE clean-up operation is underway in Dublin this morning after a night of riots devastated the city.
Some 34 people have been arrested following the violence and disorder which erupted after three children and a teacher were injured in a stabbing attack outside a city centre primary school.
Rioters devastated the streets of Dublin after an attack on Parnell Square yesterday afternoonThe incident, which happened at around 1.30pm yesterday afternoon, outside Gaelscoil Coláiste Mhuire in Parnell Square, saw two girls aged five and six injured, as well as a five-year-old boy and a female teacher aged in her 30s.
The teacher and the girls remain in hospital, but the boy was discharged from the CHI Crumlin yesterday evening.
A man aged in his 50s, who is also hospitalised following the attack, is a person of interest to Gardaí, the police force confirmed.
They added that are “not looking for anyone else in relation to the stabbings" and were “following a definite line of inquiry”.
Hours after the incident violence flared across the city as rioters set fire to vehicles, damaged properties and set upon police officers.
Rioters set fires and caused massive public damage in Dublin overnightGarda Commissioner Drew Harris described the carnage across the city as “scenes that we have not seen in decades”, before blaming far-right organisations for causing the disorder.
“What is clear is that people have been radicalised through social media and the internet," he said, while branding those responsible as “a complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology”.
The remains of a burned bus being transported along O'Connell Street in Dublin this morning, as the clean up operation gets underwayOver 400 garda officers were deployed to patrol the disorder in Dublin last night, which saw seven vehicles - three buses, three Garda patrol cars and one Luas tram - all set on fire.
Eight other Garda vehicles were “extensively damaged” the force confirmed this morning, while 13 properties were "substantially damaged" by rioters.
One Garda officer who was seriously injured is currently receiving treatment in hospital, while many other officers were injured by missiles thrown at them.
Of those arrested, thirty-two people have been charged and were due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice at 10.30am this morning.
Dublin City Council Waste Management services on O'Connell Street in Dublin this morningTaosieach Leo Varadkar branded the rioters “criminals, filled with hate”, before adding that they had “brought shame on Ireland”.
President Michael D Higgins said the stabbing incident was “appalling” but added “that it would be used or abused by groups with an agenda that attacks the principle of social inclusion is reprehensible and deserves condemnation by all those who believe in the rule of law and democracy”.
