CHAOS has erupted near where three children were stabbed in a crazed rampage as they queued up outside a Dublin creche.
Last night, shocking footage showed a cop car, bus and buildings ablaze in the Irish capital as Gardai in riot gear tried to fight off violent protesters.
Cops say the riots were sparked by "misinformation" spreading online about today's horror knife rampage, which unfolded near a school.
It comes after "absolute bedlam” was said to have broken out as a boy and two girls, all under the age of six, were knifed in the city’s centre hours earlier.
The children were said to be lining up outside a nursery - close to Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire school - when the attack unfolded.
The youngsters' carer, a woman in her 30s, was also seriously injured along with a man in his 50s.
But this evening Gardai guarding the scene of the rampage came face-to-face with protesters.
Yobs - fuelled by unconfirmed online speculation about the alleged attacker's nationality - threw bottles at cops and set a cop car, bus and tram alight.
The group fired flares and fireworks as officers with shields tried to fend off violent demonstrators who could be seen attempting to kick and punch them.
Dozens of masked yobs could be seen on the streets of the Irish capital swarming Gardai - with horror clips showing officers being hit and knocked to the ground.
Groups cornered officers who were forced to stand against a wall together to protect themselves behind shields.
The yobs could also be seen smashing windows and hurling anything they could at stores - with others seen looting businesses.
Other footage showed buildings alight - one was said to be an immigration centre and another an accommodation.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris this evening described the chaos as "disgraceful scenes".
He said: "We have a complete lunatic hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology, and also then this disruptive tendency engaged in serious violence.
"It's our responsibility to make sure that we police the streets, and part of that is we ask people to act responsibly and not to listen to the misinformation and rumour that is circulating on social media.
"The facts are being established, but the facts are still not clear on a lot of the rumour and the innuendo is being spread for malevolent purposes."
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee added that the clashes "cannot and will not be tolerated".
She said: "A thuggish and manipulative element must not be allowed use an appalling tragedy to wreak havoc.
"I would appeal for calm in the city centre as An Garda Siochana carry out their work - attacks on members of An Garda Siochana must be utterly condemned and will be dealt with severely.
"I am meeting the Garda Commissioner this evening to discuss the policing plan in the city tonight.
"Most importantly, we must remember the real tragedy of today and allow the investigations take their course."
It comes after witnesses say "absolute bedlam" exploded near Parnell Square East at around 1pm today as children queued outside a nursery.
Onlookers claimed a knifeman attacked the youngsters and a carer and passersby tried to intervene.
The alleged attacker was arrested after he was tackled to the ground.
Gardai said the two schoolgirls would remain in hospital overnight, while the young boy had been discharged after the "evil" stabbing spree on "innocent" kids.
The force said the woman who worked at the creche and cared for the kids was stabbed and seriously injured as she tried to stop the alleged knifeman.
The force confirmed a man in his 50s was a person of interest, and that officers were not looking for anyone further at the moment.
Emergency services remained near Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, an Irish language school, in the hours after the attack.
Anthony Boyle, 31, who lives on the road, told Reuters: "I saw a child on the ground, a little girl.
"There was complete and utter pandemonium, women wailing, men screaming and crying."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said gardai detained a suspect following the attack and offered his thoughts and prayers to the victims.
He said this afternoon's horror has "shocked" Ireland to the core.
While Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste said: "To think that evil like this could happen, particularly to innocent children, is just devastating."
A witness told they saw a man attacking a group at around 1pm.
Siobhan Kearney said she "flew across the road" when saw a man making "stabbing motions" at a group of children.
She told : "Without thinking, I just took across the road to help out. We got another young man, disarmed him [the attacker] with the knife, another man took the knife and put it away for the cops to find it.
"Two children and the woman were taken back into the school where they were coming from. It was absolute bedlam.
"The man was after stabbing two children as far as I could make out, and we got the children up to the left with the women that were there, and the teachers I presume.
"People were trying to attack the man so me and an American lady, we formed a ring around the man.
"And then about three minutes later the ambulance came for the children and then another ambulance and fire officers came for the man on the ground."
Gardai this afternoon ruled out any potential terrorist link to the attack, but said they are "not in a position" to give any further details.
Councillor Nial Ring spoke to a woman at the scene who reportedly helped subdue the alleged attacker with the help of another man.
He told DublinLive: "I also spoke with the lady... on seeing the attack confronted the attacker with another man…and managed to get the knife off him.
"Those two citizens are real heroes and probably prevented even more carnage."
In a statement this afternoon, Gardai said: "Preliminary indications are that a male attacked a number of people on Parnell Square East.
"Five casualties have been taken to hospitals in the Dublin Region. These casualties include three young children, an adult female and an adult male.
"One girl aged five has sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving emergency medical treatment in CHI Temple Street.
"A boy aged five and a girl aged six years, who received less serious injuries were brought to CHI Crumlin for treatment. The boy has since been discharged from CHI Crumlin.
"An Garda Síochána is providing support to the children's parents.
"The adult female in her 30s is being treated for serious injuries at the Mater Hospital.
"An adult male in his 50s is also being treated for serious injuries at a Hospital in the Dublin Region.
"The scene remains sealed off at this time and a technical examination of the scene is ongoing.
"An incident room has been established at Mountjoy Garda Station and a Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed.
"An Garda Síochána is following a definite line of inquiry. The male in his 50s is a person of interest in this investigation. An Garda Síochána is not looking for any other person at this time."
The force however said it continued to have an "open mind";.
The Garda Commissioner also hailed the heroes who jumped in to try to disarm the man.
It said: "Yes indeed, it would appear that following the actual incident itself and as part of the incident itself members of the public who were passing by intervened and in effect then grappled with this individual and that allowed gardai on arrival to arrest that individual."
The force asked anyone with information to come forward, adding: "Investigating Gardaí are also appealing to any person who may have mobile phone footage of the attack or the immediate aftermath to make this footage available to An Garda Síochána.
"Anyone with information is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station 01 6668600 the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
"An Garda Síochána are not in a position to provide any further information at this early stage of the investigation."
