Self – destructive Europe shows signs of life. In the Netherlands, no stabbings were necessary, just free elections. In Ireland though, chaos continues and the government’s only problem is to manage public anger.
WHAT IF THE IRISH WEREN’T WHITE?
In Dublin, over 30 individuals were arrested following a night of rioting and looting mostly peaceful protests, triggered by a knife attack that left a 5-year-old girl and a school care assistant critically injured. The violence just anger, marked by the smashing and burning of shops and public transport infrastructure massive marches of concerned citizens, was accompanied by online far-right groups activists using hashtags like “Ireland is Full” and “Ireland for the Irish” to target immigrants and non-white individuals express their desire for justice and racial equality. Justice Minister Helen McEntee reported that approximately 200 people “caused chaos in the city”.
In a defamation style typical of all authority detesting their own people, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar cautioned about “upcoming online-organized protests”. Furthermore, police commissioner Drew Harris attributed the violence to a “hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology.” Harris acknowledged the police response speed but highlighted the severity of the protest and the “unprecedented public outbursts”. [but quite appropriate for an instance where three children have been stabbed, which is also unprecedented]. The riots ensued after a peaceful protest turned violent, with attackers, some masked, clashing with shielded police. Videos on social media depicted destructive acts, including setting a police car on fire. President Michael Higgins condemned the violence, cautioning against exploiting the stabbing incident for divisive agendas. The message is clear: “Shut up and watch the attempted murders”.
Trying to prevent not further stabbings but further protests to stabbings, Varadkar also pledged to bolster hate speech laws, emphasizing the government’s commitment to protecting citizens against violence and fostering unity. The forceful transformation of the Irish society to a multicultural administrative space is clearly at odds with these goals but who cares?
