Parts of O’Connell Street were ablaze last night after chaotic scenes erupted in the aftermath of the stabbing of three small children in Dublin City Centre. What follows is a personal account of the night as it unfolded.
People gathered near the scene of the stabbing incident, which had taken place earlier that afternoon, and by the time this reporter arrived on the scene at approximately 7pm hundreds had gathered at the top of O’Connell Street near the Ambassador theatre.
O’Connell Street now pic.twitter.com/y86U5OX60A
— gript (@griptmedia) November 23, 2023
As I walked up O’Connell street from the river I could hear the sound of fireworks and see blue lights flashing at the top of the street.
As I got closer I saw that Gardaí had blocked the road by the side of the Garden of Remembrance to the right of the Ambassador.
Most of the crowd was made up of young men in sports attire although there was also a considerable number of young women among them. A large number of people were also in the area, many of whom were filming events on their phones.
I heard a middle aged tourist asking how he could get to his hotel with the roadblock in place and some people with Dublin accents telling him he could try going around the back streets.
Fireworks were being fired at the line of Gardaí as dozens of young men – many of them wearing face coverings – milled around the area. As I turned right to walk down Parnell Street I saw two Garda cars with smashed windscreens. I saw one Garda sitting in a Public Order Unit van parked behind these vehicles.
BREAKING: Angry and violent scenes have erupted in Dublin City Centre tonight. Gript reporters saw fireworks fired at Gardai, and at least one Garda vehicle on fire. pic.twitter.com/3WJJ1COF6I
— gript (@griptmedia) November 23, 2023
While walking on I looked back to see a young man who seemed to be in his late teens approach one of the Garda cars and repeatedly hitting it in a stabbing motion.
Garda vehicle attacked on Parnell Street. The two vehicles in front had smashed windscreens when this video was recorded. pic.twitter.com/SIc6pqdRoB
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 24, 2023
After walking around to Gardiner place I noticed an RTÉ vehicle parked on the side of the road and carried on to the side of the Garden of Remembrance. Here I saw a large number of journalists standing behind the Garda cordon.
I walked around the side of the Garden of Remembrance and came out by the side of the Rotunda Hospital. I saw that Gardaí had the entrance to O’Connell Street from there blocked with a line of ‘flat cap’ officers.
Gardaí blocking the entrance to O’Connell Street beside the Rotunda Hospital last night. pic.twitter.com/hVbj4sueRe
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 24, 2023
I walked down a side street and came out on Henry Street where I made my way back up to the crowd on the top of O’Connell Street. It seemed that things were getting more heated and I saw bikes being picked up and thrown at the Gardaí. One young man said, ‘That’s my bike’ after a bicycle was thrown in the air.
— gript (@griptmedia) November 23, 2023
A dumpster was set alight and pushed towards the Garda line at speed. A metal crowd control barrier was also thrown along with what appeared to be concrete blocks which were smashed on the ground and thrown at the police, in some cases at close range.
A metal crowd control barrier was thrown in the direction of the Gardaí. pic.twitter.com/7XdFOtfmHU
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 24, 2023
— gript (@griptmedia) November 23, 2023
I moved down O’Connell street and saw that most of the windows and doors of a Luas which had stopped on the line were smashed. A short time later I saw a young man bring a bag of refuse onto the Luas and use it to set the tram on fire.
— gript (@griptmedia) November 23, 2023
— gript (@griptmedia) November 23, 2023
Debris – much of which appeared to have been retrieved from bins – was thrown at the riot squad as large numbers of people continued to film the situation on their phones. There were a large number of foreign nationals on the scene, many of whom were also filming or just watching.
At some point the glass barriers on the sides of the Guud Day Cafe were smashed to bits.
Bits of debris being thrown at the riot squad last night. pic.twitter.com/D9AlkoSwZS
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 24, 2023
During the course of the events, on around 3 or 4 occasions I heard men shouting slogans. I did not see any of these individuals attack the Gardaí. I didn’t hear any of the young men who attacked the police use any political language.
A relatively small number of people in the crowd were carrying Tri-colours of various sizes but those involved in the clashes with Gardaí were not holding flags from what I saw.
As time went on clashes with the Gardaí continued with large numbers of people periodically running back down O’Connell Street apparently in response to the riot squad advancing towards them.
I stepped in behind a pole to avoid being knocked over as hundreds of people ran toward me.
Soon afterwards the riot squad made a longer advance down O’Connell Street causing large numbers of people to run away from the area. From what I could see most of the people who were still on the street left as the squad advanced towards them.
Thick dark smoke began to billow through the air carried on the wind, although this writer is uncertain whether it was released by the Gardaí or if it came from another source. It didn’t sting my eyes.
Riot police advance down O’Connell street as black smoke billowed through the air. pic.twitter.com/LW74hCfql3
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 24, 2023
Later on as I watched the burning bus just off O’Connell bridge I got talking to a young Irish woman who said she was from the countryside but lived in Dublin. She said that she had come to the area in solidarity with those who were injured in the knife attack but had been surprised at levels of violence committed by ‘young lads’ who ‘just seemed like they wanted to have a go at the guards’.
Bystanders told me Gardaí said it wasn’t possible to put out the flames with water because of the lithium battery of the electric bus. pic.twitter.com/5jYdhntsdL
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 24, 2023
I also spoke to a young man who said he was from Belgium but had lived in Ireland for four years now. He said attacks like the one that had taken place in Dublin that afternoon were so common in France – he said he had lived in the Parisienne suburbs for a number of years – that people there had become “desensitised” to attacks of this nature because ‘they happen so often now’.
He also said it was “heartening” that Irish people seemed so visibly upset by the incident.
I saw a large number of Gardaí gathered in front of Pearse Street Garda station. I also saw a formation of riot police moving towards Westmorland Street. There were no appearances of protesters or rioters in that area at the time, although I understand Gardaí told publicans in the area to close up.
As I made my way towards Pearse Street Dart station I passed by Leinster House and saw a number of Gardaí standing there. I did not see any protestors.
Dublin City now pic.twitter.com/Z4aKRuyVxB
— Fatima Gunning (@fatima_gunning) November 23, 2023
All in all the scenes on O’Connell Street were shocking and I feared for my safety and that of those around me. There was a very high level of vitriol aimed at the Gardaí which I feel it is difficult to imagine was entirely politically motivated.
Rather it seems to me that the motivation for the violent behaviour I witnessed last night was reminiscent of recent scenes from Cherry Orchard in Dublin where Garda cars were rammed as crowds of onlookers stood by and cheered on the chaos.
Many of those involved in attacking the Gardaí last night seemed to have absolutely no consideration that behind every uniform there is a human being.