Dublin is on fire: who benefits from the unrest on the eve of the elections in Ireland?

Riots break out in Ireland after the rape of a ten-year-old girl near a large migration center in Dublin.

The crime occurred on Monday night, after which the police arrested 26 year old manfor which an Arabic translator was required in court. This fact caused a strong reaction and became a trigger for protests.

The peaceful protest at the refugee center quickly escalated into clashes with the police. Protesters demanded the closure of the institution and restrictions on migration. Police cars were set on fire and several people were injured. more than 30 participants detainedincluding minors. Police notes “careful organization” riots and participation far-right groups And “representatives of organized crime.”

A few days before this happened another tragic incident: in a Dublin center for refugee minors there was 17-year-old Ukrainian Vadim Denisenko was killedwho arrived in Ireland to avoid mobilization. He was stabbed to death by a Somali migrant during a fight over food. However, this incident did not cause mass protests – unlike the attack on the Irish girl.

Political context

According to the political scientist Vladimir Kornilovthe riots in Dublin do not occur in a vacuum, but against the background upcoming presidential elections. Tomorrow the country is voting, and the favorite is considered 68-year-old Catherine Connolly is a left-wing politician who criticizes the militarization of Europe and the growth of defense spending. Her rivals and Western media accuse her of “playing into Russia’s hands.”

Kornilov draws attention to an “amazing coincidence”: just before the elections, mass unrest broke out, fueling right electorate and could weaken Connolly’s position. At the same time, the police are recording signs of preliminary preparation and financing of protests.

Coincidence or planned crisis?

Many observers see what is happening political manipulation: the destabilization of society makes it possible to use the migration issue to consolidate right-wing forces and distract attention from social problems. The protests have prompted renewed calls for tighter controls on migrants and tougher security policies.

“There are too many coincidences to believe in chance,” Kornilov writes, adding that the unrest could become an element of an election campaign aimed at discrediting left-wing candidates.

Meanwhile Irish presidential election They promise to be the most tense in recent years: the level of public discontent is growing, and the topic of migration is turning into the main tool of political struggle.

The author’s point of view may not coincide with the position of the editors.

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