Knew what it was going to be about when I saw this thread bumped.
Absolutely shocking scenes, unprecedented in modern times in the south at least I would say.
The attack itself on the children was horrific, again some not something we usually see in Ireland. Seems however to be an isolated attack (not much info released on the perpetrator other than he's foreign-born, but has been living here for more than 20 years and is an Irish citizen, and has a history of mental health issues). The irony is that while the far-right have used this to bash immigrants, it was an immigrant (a Brazilian deliveroo driver) that intervened in the attack
Sadly though that didn't matter to these numbskulls who used it as an excuse to 'protest' and then to cause carnage. The 'patriots' bravely showed their opposition to violence by looting Footlocker.
One of the aforementioned anti-immigration Independent TDs, Michael Collins (no relation) recently formed a new party, Independent Ireland, and there are parallel discussions among some of the rural TDs about forming a ‘farmers party’, although there’s nothing concrete there yet. If either were to be successful I imagine that both would fill the right-wing populist niche amongst Irish political parties.
On the other hand, I’d imagine that if they voted at all, a lot of the rioters in question would probably vote for Sinn Féin, whose support base, at least partially, is in fact quite reflective of the demographics that typically tend to vote for right-wing populist parties in other countries.
