Posts targeting migrants remained online during riots despite 5pm plea from online safety tsar

The scene on O’Connell Street on the night of the Dublin riots

POSTS TARGETING MIGRANTS in the lead-up to the Dublin riots remained online despite a direct plea to social media firms from Ireland’s new Online Safety Commissioner to take “appropriate steps” to prevent such content from spreading.

Niamh Hodnett contacted major social media firms in the afternoon of 23 November to express concerns that the multiple stabbing outside a school on Parnell Square earlier that day could result in social media posts that incite violence.

Hodnett was appointed to the role at Coimisiún na Meán last February to fight the spread of harmful content online. Her responsibilities include attempting to ensure that online platforms remove harmful content in a timely manner.

Emails from Hodnett to Google, Meta, Tiktok and X were sent shortly before 5pm on 23 November, when the commissioner asked the companies to ensure no violence or hatred was directed against certain groups on their platforms.

The correspondence, released to The Journal under the Freedom of Information Act, was sent as crowds began to block traffic and public transport near the location where a Garda cordon was set up outside the scene of the stabbing on Parnell Square.

“As you may be aware, there has been a stabbing incident in Parnell Square this afternoon, which has led to children and adults being hospitalised, “Hodnett said.

“We are concerned that imagery or videos of this horrific event are not shared online, out of respect for the victims, to prevent adults and children being exposed to scenes of graphic violence and to prevent identification of the suspect.

“We are also concerned that it is not used to incite hatred or violence against individual groups.

“We would like to draw this to your attention so that you can take appropriate steps.”

TikTok had already contacted Coimisiún na Meán at around 4pm to say they were “monitoring the issue at Parnell Square”.

Google responded to Hodnett seven minutes after she sent her email, while Meta responded 11 minutes later.

Around 20 minutes after the commissioner’s email, an audio message was shared among far-right channels on the messaging app Telegram calling on listeners to go to the city centre at 7pm; the message also urged people to “tool up” and “kill” foreign nationals.

The commissioner did not contact Telegram on the day of the riots, though recordings of the audio message were re-shared on other platforms that were emailed by Hodnett. At least one post containing the recording remains on X at the time of publication.

Minutes after Hodnett’s initial emails were sent, a Luas travelling northbound via Parnell Street was blocked by rioters on O’Connell Street, and angry crowds began to push through the Garda cordon on Parnell Square, prompting a response from Garda vehicles.

Around this time, posts also emerged online which identified the stabbing suspect as being from Algeria (though they did not identify the suspected attacker).

A video posted online at 5.45pm showed angry crowds marching up Parnell Square; a Garda was also assaulted and a Garda vehicle was attacked at the Parnell monument around this time.

X responded to the commissioner’s email at 5.54pm, when Gardaí were re-establishing the cordon at the bottom of Parnell Square.

Multiple posts on X shared before Hodnett’s email also depicted videos of the scene at Parnell Square, including images of the supposed perpetrator, and claims that Gardaí were “looking for an immigrant”. These posts remain online at the time of publication.

In a statement issued the day after the riot, the Immigrant Council of Ireland warned about the proliferation of such posts and called for posters to be investigated.

“Those who carried out the riot are not ‘protesters’, but a violent mob incited by a fringe and dangerous far right and online media who feed and platform their hate,” the organisation said.

“The hate networks, both online and off, who feed this hatred must be disrupted by the authorities and those who incite hatred brought to account.”

Other records released by Coimisiún na Meán under FOI show that the commission discussed posts on X by the company’s owner Elon Musk and MMA fighter Conor McGregor on the day after the rioting.

The posts were shared among Commission staff in a workplace chat group on 24 November, and included a claim by Musk that the Irish government “cares more about praise from woke media than their own people”, and a call by McGregor to “announce our plan of action”.

Representatives from each of the four firms – Meta, Google, X and TikTok – met with the commission separately in the weeks after the riots.

X was later criticised by Justice Minister Helen McEntee for not engaging with Gardaí in the aftermath of the riots, a claim the company denied.

In a letter to McEntee, also released by her Department to The Journal under FOI, X called on the minister to clarify her remarks after revealing Gardaí had reported three posts to the company.

“Gardaí reported three posts through our Legal Request submissions site and they appealed our decision in respect of a single post with a very low number of views,” the letter read.

“We have consistently communicated to Gardaí our willingness to engage with them and to date, they have not expressed any concern with our responsiveness directly to us.

“We hope that with consideration of this information, you will clarify your recent remarks.”

A Garda spokesperson also told The Journal that the force was in touch with social media companies “in relation to certain content” during the knife attack and riots on 23 November.

“Throughout this situation, An Garda Síochána has received significant assistance from Coimisiún na Meán, and An Garda Síochána continues to liaise with Coimisiún na Meán on the matter,” they said in a statement.

“As this is an ongoing investigation, An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.”