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
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Your support makes all the difference.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”.
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Chief suspect has had several credible threats on his life - police
The chief suspect in the horror stabbing in Dublin that sparked riots across the city is being protected by police in hospital.
There have been reports of credible threats to the individual’s life, The Irish Times reports.
Meanwhile, the adult man, aged in his late 40s, is in a serious but stable condition in a hospital in the Dublin Region, said Garda.
The force said he remains a “person of interest” in its inquiries as police continue to investigate the knife attack.
Father hails care worker an ‘absolute hero’ after protecting son from knifeman
A father who says his six-year-old son was among the group of children targeted by a knifeman outside a Dublin school has hailed their care worker an “absolute hero” after she “stepped in front of a knife for him and the other kids”.
Writing on social media, Garrett Fitzgerald said: “My six-year-old son was part of a group of junior and senior infants who were attacked yesterday as they walked to their after school on Parnell Square.
“My son’s care worker stepped in front of a knife for him and the other kids. She wrestled the guy long enough, to allow the other kids to run away and for help to arrive. Words fail me.
“She’s an absolute hero.”
He said a GoFundMe has been set up for her by a friend.
The woman, aged in her 30s, is in a serious but stable condition in The Mater Hospital.
Mr Fitzgerald added: “She was one of many heroes yesterday, including passers-by who intervened, first responders and the children themselves.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those still in hospital and anyone who has been affected by this awful tragedy.”
Government will tighten anti-hate legislation, says Varadkar
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s prime minister, has said his government would take immediate steps to tighten anti-hate legislation he said was unfit for the social media age.
"As a country we need to reclaim Ireland. We need to take it away from the cowerers who hide behind masks and try to terrify us with their violence," Varadkar said in an emotional statement.
Reserve Gardaí support enhanced policing operation in Dublin on Saturday
Reserve Gardaí are supporting the enhanced policing operation in Dublin city centre on Saturday, Irish police have said.
Water cannon ‘an available tactic’ for Irish police in Dublin
Use of water cannon is “an available tactic” for Irish police in the event of further disturbances in Dublin later.
There were chaotic scenes on Thursday evening – which involved far-right elements – with Garda cars, buses and trams set alight, and shops looted and damaged after a knife attack on three children and their care assistant outside a school in the north inner city.
Some 34 people were arrested during the scenes on the Irish capital’s main thoroughfare O’Connell Street, and Garda officers are trawling 6,000 hours of CCTV footage from the night.
Rebecca Black reports:
Water cannon ‘an available tactic’ for Irish police in Dublin
A Garda spokesperson said officers have received refresher training in operating the water cannon.
Police give update on stabbing victims
The five-year-old girl stabbed outside the school in Dublin remains in critical condition at CHI Temple Street, Garda has confirmed this afternoon.
The six-year-old girl, who was receiving medical treatment for less serious injuries in CHI Crumlin, has now been discharged from hospital and returned to the care of her family, said Irish police.
The adult woman, a nursery worker, aged in her 30s, is in a serious but stable condition in The Mater Hospital, added the force.
Meanwhile, the adult man, aged in his late 40s, is in a serious but stable condition in a hospital in the Dublin Region, said Garda. The force said he remains a “person of interest” in its inquiries as police continue to investigate the knife attack.
A five-year-old boy was previously discharged from hospital.
How the Dublin riots began
Violent riots that broke out across Dublin city centre on Thursday evening flared after a knife attack on children and their care assistant outside a school earlier in the day.
Three young children and an adult woman and man were all injured in the stabbings outside the Irish-medium primary school Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire on Parnell Square East at approximately 1.30pm, an incident that immediately made headlines.
Garda (Irish police) said on Saturday that they are continuing to investigate the knife attack, which left a five-year-old girl in a critical condition and still fighting for her life in hospital on Saturday.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
Flares and fireworks at a crime scene: How the chaos in Dublin began
Irish capital rocked by violence, arson and looting after heated demonstration in response to school stabbing evolves into clashes with police
Legislation over use of body-worn cameras by police ‘to be fast-tracked'
Amid criticism of the Garda response to the riots, Government ministers met and heard that legislation to facilitate the use of body-worn cameras by police officers will be fast-tracked.
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.
Some arrests on Friday evening
There were a small number of arrests in Dublin city centre on Friday evening.
Gardai mounted a significant security operation around the O’Connell Street thoroughfare to avoid a repeat of the violent scenes from the night before.
Justice Minister rejects call from Sinn Fein leader to resign
The Justice Minister rejected a call from Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald for her and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to resign.
Helen McEntee said: “If Sinn Fein wish to debate law and order, if Sinn Fein wish to debate how we can support the gardai, I have no problem in standing over Fine Gael’s record of law and order, Fine Gael’s record of supporting members of An Garda Siochana.
“I do not believe Sinn Fein can stand over their record.”
Mrs McDonald said there had been a “an unacceptable, unprecedented collapse in policing” and that a problem leading to Thursday’s riot had been “building for months”.
