According to Mediaite, Irish MMA icon Conor McGregor is currently under investigation by Ireland’s national police service, Garda Síochána, for tweets related to the recent Dublin riots following a stabbing incident. The investigation, led by Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, is part of a wider probe into online hate speech. McGregor, known for his strong views on immigration, had criticized the government and Garda leadership’s response to the violence and the Garda commissioner, Drew Harris.
After a knife attack that injured three children and two adults, McGregor not only condemned the government’s handling of the situation but also praised migrant individuals who intervened to stop the attack. The investigation into McGregor’s tweets comes in the context of rising tensions surrounding immigration issues in Ireland.
The controversy was sparked by a post from Paul Golding, leader of the far-right group Britain First, calling for McGregor to lead a “freedom march” with anti-immigrant sentiments. McGregor distanced himself from the riots, condemning violence and looting while expressing his commitment to efforts for positive change in Ireland. However, some groups online have misused his previous tweet declaring “Ireland, we are at war” to fuel tensions.
Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin criticized McGregor’s comments as “disgraceful.” In response to the unrest, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced legislative measures to enhance law enforcement capabilities. The proposed laws include empowering police to use facial recognition technology and addressing online hate speech. Varadkar emphasized the need to update legal frameworks to hold influential social media figures accountable for spreading racist content.
However, these legislative moves have faced criticism, with figures like Elon Musk condemning them as a “massive attack on freedom of speech.” The debate over balancing law enforcement capabilities with concerns about civil liberties is central to these developments in Ireland.
Innocent children ruthlessly stabbed by a mentally deranged non-national in Dublin, Ireland today. Our chief of police had this to say on the riots in the aftermath. Drew, not good enough. There is grave danger among us in Ireland that should never be here in the first place, and… https://t.co/ac6j1GIjXD
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 23, 2023
I do not condone last nights riots. I do not condone any attacks on our first responders in their line of duty. I do not condone looting and the damaging of shops. Last nights scenes achieved nothing toward fixing the issues we face. I do understand frustrations however, and I do… https://t.co/FFx7d0ZROb
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 24, 2023
