Taoiseach Leo Varadkar issues fresh protests warning and blasts rioters for bringing ‘shame on Ireland’

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has warned that similar protests to last night’s riots are being organised online – and blasted that those involved “brought shame on Ireland”.

The Fine Gael leader said protesters who battled gardai and looted shops in Dublin after a knife attack outside a school were motivated by “hate”.

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned disgraceful riotsCredit: Photocall Ireland

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Crews work to clear debris from a burnt out Luas tram in the capitalCredit: PA

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Workers on O’Connell Street in the aftermath of chaotic scenesCredit: PA

Varadkar said: “Those involved brought shame on Dublin, brought shame on Ireland and brought shame on their families and themselves.”

Varadkar said he is aware of further protests being organised online, and the gardai are operating on the basis that there could be a reoccurrence of similar scenes over the weekend or in the future.

The Taoiseach said the knife maniac who carried out the stabbing attack was “intent on murder”.

The suspect remains under guard in hospital, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confirmed.

Varadkar also paid tribute to “heroes” on the street who intervened.

He said Dublin witnessed “two terrible attacks” on Thursday.

Speaking at Dublin Castle, he said: “The first was an attack on innocent children, the second an attack on our society and the rule of law.

“Each attack brought shame to our society and disgrace to those involved and incredible pain to those caught up in the violence.

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“As Taoiseach, I want to say to a nation that is unsettled and afraid, this is not who we are, this is not where we want to be, and this is not who we will ever be.”

And Varadkar said laws against hate will be strengthened within weeks.

He said: “We will pass new laws in the coming weeks to enable the gardai to make better use of the CCTV evidence they collected yesterday, and also we will modernise our laws against incitement to hatred and hatred in general.

“I think it’s now very obvious to anyone who might have doubted us that our incitement to hatred legislation is just not up to date.

“It’s not up to date for the social media age. And we need that legislation through within a matter of weeks.”

He said the bystanders who helped avoid more injuries were “real Irish heroes”.

‘FILLED WITH HATE’

Varadkar continued: “Yesterday evening, some people decided that the best way to respond to this terrible attack was to take to the streets of Dublin and try to terrify, intimidate, loot and destroy.

“Their first reaction to a five-year-old child being stabbed was to burn our city, attack its businesses and assault our gardaí.

“As a result of their actions, buses and trams were set on fire, innocent passers-by were intimidated and pregnant women in Rotunda Hospital were made to feel unsafe and in danger.

“These people claim to be defending Irish citizens, yet they put in danger the newest and most vulnerable and most innocent people.

“Those involved brought shame on Dublin, brought shame on Ireland and brought shame on their families and themselves.

“These criminals did not do what they did because they love Ireland. They did not do what they did because they wanted to protect Irish people.

“They did not do it out of any sense of patriotism, however warped. They did so because they’re filled with hate, they love violence, they love chaos and they love causing pain to others.”

He fumed: “To all those cowardly champions of Ireland who took to the streets of Dublin last night, let me say one thing – ask your sisters, ask your friends, ask everyone you know what they fear most on our streets.

“They’re afraid of you, afraid of your anger and your rage, afraid of your violence, your hate and how you blame others for your problems.

“As a government, we will be relentless in protecting our citizens and defending our people. The gardai will be on the streets in large numbers and will do whatever it takes to fight back waves of ignorance and criminality.”

MAJOR THREAT

Former Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy warned that these thugs are an “existential threat to democracy”.

He told RTE Radio’s Today with Claire Byrne: “We know what they’re capable of doing and they’ll do it again.

“This was orchestrated. It’s a well trodden path and we should treat this as a crisis for our State.

“We need a government task force to get key people. What have we got? How has it developed? What capacity do they have?

“We could see how this was developing over the last two years. We treated it as something that could be dealt with on the day.

“We now have to accept it’s a threat to democracy, we need to up our game. What issues are arising for our country? What actions do we need to engage to address this.

“We can’t focus on policing alone.”

And he predicted further violence won’t be mounted tonight.

He said: “I don’t think it’ll happen tonight.

“They’re rubbing their hands together, they set out what they set out to achieve. Listening to the stories today, all the coverage they set out to get.

“They’ll say round one to us. This has to be a trigger event for us now as a state as well. Treat it as an emerging crisis, apply a real strategy to it.”

VICTIMS STILL SERIOUS

A five-year-old girl stabbed in the frenzied knife attack remains in a critical condition while a woman in her 30s is still in a serious condition in hospital.

Gardai confirmed the five-year-old girl is being treated in CHI Temple Street while another girl, aged 6, has less serious injuries in CHI Crumlin.

The children’s parents are by their bedsides after the terrifying stabbing.

A young boy, aged five, who was also injured was discharged from Crumlin yesterday evening.

And a woman in her 30s, who heroically protected more children from being attacked, is still in a serious condition in the Mater.

The suspect, who is under guard at a hospital in the Dublin region, is still in a serious condition, gardai confirmed.

Issuing a fresh appeal for information, gardai said: “An Garda Siochana is appealing to any person with any information on this attack to contact investigating Gardai.

“Investigating Gardai are also appealing to any person who may have mobile phone footage of the attack or the immediate aftermath to make this footage available to An Garda Siochana.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station 01 666 8600 the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.”