Capel St stabbing: How misinformation spread across social media
Within minutes, misinformation regarding the attacker, who is an Irish citizen, had begun to spread on various social media platforms — a recurring trend in recent times in the fallout from such incidents, with false narratives emerging before facts can be definitively established by official outlets.
6.55pm: An X account, with just 13 followers, posts: 'Garda stabbed by foreigner on Capel Street 10 minutes ago." This post is made in response to an unrelated post from prominent far-right agitator Mick O'Keeffe.
The post has been viewed 1,100 times. It is followed eight minutes later by a post from an account with 15 followers, stating: 'Capel Street 20 minutes ago, copper randomly stabbed by foreigner'. That post has been viewed more than 80,000 times.
7.43pm: Prominent anti-immigration X account Real News Éire posts a video allegedly depicting the assault, stating: "A foreigner has stabbed a Gardai [sic] on Capel Street'. The video has been viewed more than 237,000 times.
8.32pm: Gardaí release a statement, quoting assistant commissioner for the Dublin region Paul Cleary, noting the attack and the fact the attacker had been arrested at the scene.
No details of his nationality or ethnicity is given, a break from the protocol employed with regard to a shooting at a Carlow shopping centre in early June, when gardaí moved within hours to confirm that the shooter in question Evan Fitzgerald — who took his own life during the incident — was both white and Irish.
Revealing such information early is a calculated gambit to quell the spread of misinformation before it can take hold.
8.37pm: Former mixed martial artist Conor McGregor posts on X that an attack has been carried out on a garda 'by one of the Irish Government's new to the parish imports through its human trafficking racket'.
The post has been viewed more than 352,000 times.
Wednesday morning: It emerges that Tuesday evening's attacker is an Irish citizen of Pakistani heritage. Mr Cleary speaks on RTÉ Radio of 'very inaccurate misinformation and disinformation that went out online after this incident very quickly'.
'We have some people with their own agenda trying to use incidents like this to inflame situations for their own ends," he says.
All of the original posts describing the attacker as a non-Irish national remain online.
A post from McGregor on Wednesday afternoon pivoted somewhat in describing the suspected attacker as 'a second-generation migrant of full Pakistani heritage', while stating that 'the stabber and his entire family MUST BE DEPORTED' — a statement viewed more than 218,000 times.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Two people in hospital after serious crash in Co Donegal
The two have been hospitalised in the wake of the two-car crash. Two people have been hospitalised following a two-car collision in Co Donegal this morning. The collision took place on the R246 at Main Street in Kerrykeel shortly after 10.45 am. The driver of one of the cars involved, a man in his 40s, was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where his condition is understood to be serious. The passenger, a female in her late teens, did not require immediate hospital treatment. Stock image News in 90 Seconds - Saturday, August 2 The driver of the second vehicle, a woman in her 70s, was also taken to hospital for assessment. The scene has been preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators and traffic diversions remain in place. Gardaí are urging anyone who witnessed the collision or has relevant camera footage, including dash cam, from the area at the time to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Milford Garda Station on (074) 915 3060, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Investigations are ongoing.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Man & woman rushed to hospital after horror two-car crash on main street of busy Irish village as gardai seal off route
A MAN and a woman have been rushed to hospital following a two-vehicle crash on the main street of a small Irish village. The collision took place on the Main Street of Kerrykeel village in Co The driver of a car, a man in his 40s, was rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital in a condition understood to be serious. His passenger, a girl in her late teens, did not require immediate hospital treatment after being assessed at the crash scene. The driver of the second car involved in the crash, a woman who is aged in her 70s, was also taken to hospital for assessment. READ MORE IRISH NEWS The extent of her injuries is not known at this time. Gardai have sealed off the main street of the village and have started an investigation into the circumstances of the crash. In a statement this afternoon, a spokesperson for the force urged anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward. A spokesperson said: "Gardai at Milford are appealing for witnesses following a two-vehicle collision in Kerrykeel, County Donegal, on Saturday, 2nd of August 2025. MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN "Shortly after 10:45 am, Gardai and emergency services responded to a two-car collision on the R246 at Main Street, Kerrykeel. Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads "The driver of one of the cars involved, a man in his 40s, was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where his condition is understood to be serious. "His passenger, a female in her late teens, did not require immediate hospital treatment. The driver of the second vehicle, a woman in her 70s, was also taken to hospital for assessment. "The scene has been preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators and traffic diversions remain in place. "Gardai are urging anyone who witnessed the collision or has relevant camera footage, including dash cam, from the area at the time to come forward. 'ONE OF BUSIEST WEEKENDS ON ROADS' "Anyone with information is asked to contact Milford Garda Station on (074) 915 3060, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station." The statement added: "Investigations are ongoing." Gardai and the RSA have teamed up to urge everyone to take on the roads over this bank holiday weekend. Chief Superintendent Ray McMahon said: "This is one of the busiest weekends on the roads. Not just for motorists, but at this time of year, it's one of the busiest weekends for cyclists and pedestrians. "We ask everybody to be very conscious of our vulnerable road users, our cyclists and our pedestrians. "We're asking people to slow down, we're asking people to just plan their journey ahead. Some will have long journeys this weekend, so take your time and take your breaks. "Don't be using mobile phones or anything that might distract you while driving. We really do not want to be visiting another family with terrible news this weekend." Officers will be "out in force" until Wednesday with extra checkpoints and "considerable more enforcement" in relation to speeding, mobile phone use and seatbelts. Chief Supt McMahon added: "Please drive carefully and drive responsibly.' 1 The serious crash took place on the R246 at Main Street in Kerrykeel Credit: GOOGLE STREETVIEW
Irish Independent
7 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Mountjoy prisoner given extra jail time after his ‘distinctive gait' linked him to string of thefts
Gary Herbert (42) who is currently serving a custodial sentence in Mountjoy Prison, appeared before Tallaght District Court, where he pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of stolen property, relating to a grey Aovo Pro e-scooter. He pleaded not guilty to three other charges - involving the theft of cash from two parked cars and the possession of additional stolen electronic goods - but was convicted on all counts following a hearing before Judge Patricia McNamara. The guilty plea related to an incident on October 1, 2024, at Firhouse Road, Tallaght, where the defendant was stopped by Gardaí in the early hours of the morning while riding an electric scooter. Garda Conor Lavin told the court that at approximately 3.30am, he observed the accused acting suspiciously. Herbert attempted to flee but was stopped and searched. Gardaí recovered a grey Aovo Pro e-scooter, a pair of white Apple AirPods, a pair of black AirPods, and a grey iPod. Herbert admitted the scooter was not his and entered a guilty plea to that charge, but denied stealing the other items. He also denied stealing cash in two separate incidents involving parked cars. In both cases, CCTV footage was shown in court, and the vehicle owners gave evidence. One car - a Lexus parked in the Ballyroan area - was entered during the night of August 22, 2024, while the other - an unlocked Volvo in Rathfarnham - was targeted on October 27, 2024, with €150 in cash and coinage taken. Although the footage was recorded in darkness, Gardaí said Herbert could be identified in both videos by his "distinctive gait". Judge McNamara said she was satisfied it was the accused in both videos and convicted Herbert of theft and two further counts of possession of stolen property, relating to the AirPods and iPod. The court heard Herbert is currently serving an eight-month sentence, imposed in June 2025, and is due for release in April 2026. Judge McNamara imposed a nine-month sentence for the new matters, to run consecutively to his existing term. She suspended six months of that sentence for two years, meaning Herbert will serve an additional three months - unless he reoffends. Defence counsel said Herbert has long-standing issues with addiction and mental health, but had been engaging well while in custody. Judge McNamara noted that some of the offending took place only months after his last conviction. 'He was out opening cars and taking whatever he could find,' she said. 'There was no premeditation, but this was deliberate. The court had to review CCTV and hear from multiple witnesses due to his decision to contest the charges.' She warned that if Herbert is convicted again within two years of release, the suspended portion of the sentence will be activated and he will return to jail. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
