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FACTCHECK
Debunked: A public killing and attempted abductions latest in baseless claims against migrants
Gardaí had no record of the a supposed public killing with a hatchet in Dublin City.
CLAIMS SPREAD ONLINE that migrants in Dublin were responsible for multiple attempts to abduct children, as well as a brawl that resulted in a man being killed with a hatchet, have no evidence.
Gardaí confirmed to The Journal that they had no record of a series of incidents described in online posts, including a supposed killing in north inner city Dublin.
Despite the lack of evidence, a video making such claims has been shared hundreds of times, including one version on Facebook that has been viewed more than 21,000 times since being posted on 31 July.
“Over the weekend, there was a lot of activity in Dublin,” a man says, speaking to camera.
“In East Wall, a young pedophile, rapist-slash-invader, illegal immigrant-refugee went from the ESB building into East Wall and tried to stalk and kidnap two young 13-year-old East Wall girls,” the man alleges.
“Another invader from the East Wall building, around 30 years of age, tried to snatch an East Wall child, three years of age, outside the grandmother’s home. They picked up the child, had her in his arms, rubbing and touching her face and hair. And the grandmother went berserk, he put her down and legged it. In East Wall alone.
“North Frederick Street-Dorset Street: the invaders, Somalians and Georgians ran amok on each other, over a parking space and the turf they said was now theirs. And one of them was murdered with a hatchet.”
The man in the video then goes on to allege that the last of Ireland’s money is being funnelled through Ukraine into “Joe Biden’s pocket” among other claims.
However, Gardaí told The Journal that they had no record of incidents matching the descriptions given by the man in the video – which would be surprising for two attempted kidnappings and a public killing in Dublin City.
Similarly, serious crimes such as murders are generally communicated to the media, often officially by Gardaí who can appeal for witnesses to help in their inquiries. No such murders have been reported by the media.
“Notwithstanding isolated local incidents, An Garda Síochána has not recorded any significant increase in criminal activity or public order issues directly caused by International Protection applicants, in East Wall, or at any other location where International Protection Applicants are being accommodated, at this time,” a Garda spokesperson told The Journal.
“An Garda Síochána has a number of community Gardaí assigned to the East Wall area and these members continue to have positive working relationships with the community and arrangements are already in place for Store Street’s Community Policing mobile clinic to further reach out to this community in the coming weeks.”
A series of protests blocked roads in East Wall late last year, demanding that asylum seekers should not be accommodated in the area after it had emerged that an old ESB building had been converted to house people seeking international protection.
Similar protests were also held in other areas where asylum seekers were planned to be accomodated, such as Killarney, Ennis and Drimnagh, often prompting locals to arrange counter protests in support of refugees.
Recently, leaflets titled “East Wall and Inner City Community Alert” were distributed to homes in the area warning of “suspected prostitution in the ESB building along with anti-social behaviour,” the Dublin Inquirer reported.
It is unclear who distributed the leaflet, which provide no evidence for its accusations.
Unsourced claims about immigrants committing crimes have are regularly used by spreaders of misinformation to argue that non-Irish people are dangerous.
Gardaí recently said that a similar claim that there was an attempted abduction of a child in Co Kerry was contradicted by evidence, including extensive security footage.
A debunked video was spread in May with claims that it showed immigrants fighting in Liffey Valley shopping centre in Dublin. Another video showing an assault during a phone shop robbery incident.was said to be CCTV from Dublin city centre.
Both incidents actually took place in America and have no connection with Ireland. Nor were any links with migrants reported.
Rumours that “illegal immigrants” had assaulted a woman in Finglas prompted demonstrations, leading police to clarify that they had a definite line of inquiry and were not looking for any foreign suspects.
And earlier this year, rumours that migrants were attacking locals in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, spurred the creations of a ‘Volunteer Safety Patrol’, despite no evidence that any such attacks had occurred.
Verdict
No evidence. Claims that a number of serious crimes were committed by migrants have no evidence to support them, despite allegations that they involved numerous witnesses and the death of one person.
Gardaí said that no matching incidents were reported.
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