IRELAND's Prime Minister has slammed yobs who battered cops and set cars on fire before looting businesses as riots erupted on the streets of Dublin.
Cops have arrested 34 people following chaos in the Irish capital last night after three children and a creche worker were stabbed outside a nursery.
The thugs were said to be fuelled by unconfirmed rumours about the nationality of the alleged knifeman - with cops dubbing it "misinformation".
Hundreds of workers were drafted in this morning in a mass clean up operation, as piles of broken glass were swept from the streets and charred remains of burnt-out vehicles lifted into waiting trucks.
Horror clips are now being shared online of the violent yobs rushing through the streets, trying to fight cops, setting vehicles and businesses alight, and looting stores.
One terrifying video shows a Holiday Inn Express Hotel being set on fire as thugs wreak havoc outside.
Another shows tens of yobs circling a cop on O'Connell's bridge before shouting and battering him.
Irish PM, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this morning dubbed the riots Dublin's "night of shame".
He said those involved in the riots "brought shame on Dublin, brought shame on Ireland and brought shame on their families and themselves."
It comes after "absolute bedlam” broke out around midday as a boy and two girls, all under the age of six, were knifed in the city’s centre.
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 injured along with a man in his 50s before a brave have-a-go hero tackled the attacker.
Five people were raced to hospital, and all but the schoolboy were kept on wards overnight as medics tended to their "serious" injuries.
The chief suspect is understood to be a naturalized Irish citizen, who has lived there in the region of 20 years, The Irish Times reports.
In the hours that followed the knife rampage, police kept a cordon around the scene.
But when darkness fell protestors started clashing at the taped area in what police have called "lunatic" behaviour.
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.
It comes as...
Irish Police Commissioner Drew Harris this morning said rioters had taken a "thimbleful of facts and made a bath full of assumptions" when they caused chaos on the streets, describing "disgraceful scenes".
He told how 13 shops were destroyed on O'Connell street and the surrounding area, while 11 cop cars had been set ablaze.
Giving an update on the stabbing victims, he said the five-year-old girl and her teacher remain in a serious condition.
He revealed the motive of the attacker remains unclear - and while a suspect has been identified no arrest has been made.
He added: "These (riots) are scenes that we have not seen in decades but what is clear is that people have been radicalised through social media and the internet.
"But I don't want to lose focus on the terrible event in terms of the dreadful assault on schoolchildren and their teacher.
"There's a full investigation ongoing. There's also a full investigation in respect on the disorder."
Last night he said: "We have a complete lunatic hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology, and also then this disruptive tendency engaged in serious violence."
Irish Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said there could be prison sentences of up to 12 years for attacking gardai after rioting.
A shocking clip showed a hooligan setting a cardboard box on fire before rushing it across the road and placing it inside a cop vehicle.
Within seconds the emergency vehicle was engulfed in flames.
Another horror video showed masked yobs inside a Foot Locker store with smashed glass out the front, before they could be seen rushing out with pairs of shoes in hand.
Other clips showed looters running through the streets with arms full of new clothes, still on the hangers.
Officers were forced to don riot gear and hold their shields high as groups fired flares and fireworks at them - while throwing punches and kicks, too.
The yobs could also be seen smashing windows and hurling anything they could at stores.
Other footage showed buildings alight - one was said to be an immigration centre and another an accommodation.
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee said 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."
Irish President Michael D Higgins said his thoughts were with those injured in the stabbing.
He said: “This appalling incident is a matter for the gardai and that it would be used or abused by groups with an agenda that attacks the principle of social inclusion is reprehensible and deserves condemnation by all those who believe in the rule of law and democracy.”
It comes after witnesses say "absolute bedlam" exploded near Dublin's Parnell Square East at around 1pm yesterday as children queued outside a nursery.
Onlookers claimed a knifeman attacked the youngsters and a carer and passersby tried to intervene.
A brave Deliveroo driver has told how jumped off his motorbike and smashed the attacker with his helmet to stop the rampage.
Caio Benicio told The Journal: “I didn’t even make a decision, it was pure instinct, and it was all over in seconds. He fell to the ground, I didn’t see where knife went, and other people stepped in.
“I have two kids myself, so I had to do something. I did what anyone would do.
"People were there but they couldn’t step in because he was armed, but I knew I could use my helmet as a weapon.”
In a statement yesterday afternoon, cops 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."
It added: "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."
