Dublin saw violent demonstrations following a knife attack that harmed children

Following a knife assault in Dublin’s city center on Thursday that wounded four people, including three children, protesters engaged in violent altercations with police and set fire to many cars.

The President Michael D. Higgins said that the previous assault is being “abused by groups with an agenda,” while the Irish police head attributed the turmoil to a “lunatic, hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology,” according to the BBC.

Parts of the Irish capital’s public transportation system continued to be interrupted, and the ambulance service said that it is “extremely busy” tonight.

At its busiest, the reaction encompassed almost 400 Irish police personnel.

Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin said that several police officers had been beaten and abused in a social media video statement, according to The Guardian.

He did, however, state that neither the Irish police force, the gardai, nor any members of the public had reported any major injuries. He said that the Dublin city center was again peaceful and returning to normal, and that the gardai were still on patrol there.

Following an assault on a mother and three little children in Parnell Square East, in the northern part of the city center, violence broke out. A guy in his 50s was taken into custody by the police and was receiving medical attention for his wounds. They said that they had no further leads.