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Cars were set on fire, shops destroyed and looted. Dublin experienced a night full of violence. “These are scenes we have not seen for decades,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar (44) said on Friday.
Rioters engaged in street battles with police on Thursday evening. Bottles and fireworks, among other things, flew towards the officers.
The protests were sparked by a knife attack outside a primary school that injured three children and a woman. The attacker was arrested at the scene and according to the initial investigation, investigators ruled out a terrorist motive.
“The police advised us to go far away”
After the attack, there was a lot of speculation, especially on social media, about the nationality of the perpetrator – with the result that right-wing hooligans in particular gathered in the center of Dublin. The mood warmed. Meanwhile, a man from Bern (26) was sitting in a pub with his friends. “We were having a drink when the innkeeper came up to us and told us to leave. “Everyone had to get out,” the 26-year-old tells Blick.
The entire city center was cordoned off. “All bars and shops closed at once. We also couldn’t get to our accommodation, which is in the city center. The police advised us to go far away.”
“Everything was closed and there were hardly any people to be seen”
As they left the cordoned off area, they saw masked people walking towards the city center. The Swiss had no idea that it would become one of the worst nights of rioting for Dublin in decades. “Then we went to another pub.”
After three hours they were finally allowed to return to their accommodation. “It was creepy. Everything was closed and there were hardly any people to be seen, otherwise all hell would break loose.” The next morning they saw the traces of the night. Broken shops and burnt out buses. Even a police car was set on fire.
According to Police Chief Drew Harris, 34 people were arrested. As the investigation continues, many more arrests will be made, Harris said, warning of new violence.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
