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Child Item

Assault in IFSC/Spencer Dock. What the hell is wrong with this city?

IFSCYP

Hi, I'd like to share some recent incidents that I've experienced in the last months in the IFSC and Spencer Dock with groups of 15/16 yr-old knackers who are harassing people in the street.

What follows is an excerpt of my testimony to the Gardai:

"On Tuesday 25/7/17 at 22.20 I was speaking on the phone while standing on the bridge that crosses the canal over to Spencer Dock (Major Street Lower). A group of around 10 young males sat near me, so I started walking towards Spencer Dock. At that point I noticed another group of around 10-15 young males were walking in my direction, just by the Spencer Dock ground level commercial spaces.

I then took a left down the stairs that are right to the left of the bridge and the former group of young males were suddenly right at my back. One of them (blond/red head. c.1.80m) pushed me while the others laughed. I turned around and asked him what he was doing, to what a couple of the others answered that what was I doing.

I turned around and proceeded to walk towards the Spencer Dock complex, looking backwards while they mocked and threw stones at me. When I arrived to the arch that delimits the Spencer Dock complex, I stopped and looked around to see if the young males were coming. Both groups were together now and walking in my direction. One of them screamed "there he is" and they all started to run towards me.

I turned around and started walking quickly, when another adolescent (black curly hair, sides cut more than the top. Black coat similar to a North Face Trevail Jacket. c.1.75m in height. Slim complexity) ran to me from behind and head-butted me on the left side of my face. I turned around and punched him in the face and started running away inside the Spencer Dock complex, the group of 25-30 young males running behind me.

I tripped and fell down after 10m, where a bunch of them kicked me on the floor. I managed to stand up and ran again towards the end of the complex's main corridor, trying to find an open gate or somewhere to hide. When I reached the end, I realized I had nowhere to go in that direction, so I turned around and ran in the same direction I had come from, hoping I'd be able to get in through any of the gates.

In my run back I passed through the whole group, which was scattered as they had been chasing me from the first arch. Almost every one of them I passed threw a punch or kick at me. When I reached the last gate I didn't have time to open it, so many of them got at me and starting punching and kicking me.

I don't recall how many blows I received, but at some point they all left running and I found myself on the floor bleeding heavily from the nose, with the Spencer Dock night guard next to me. Some residents came out and helped out with cloths and ice until the police came over."

--

Besides this incident, which left me with a herniated disc, and multiple head and face injuries, I have been thrown stones at in at least 2 other occasions, and just today I saw a group of kids throwing stones to a man who was walking towards the IFSC. Since the above mentioned incident happened I obviously try not to get involved with them whatsoever, so I just called 112 and asked them to put me through to the Gardai...

What the hell is going on in this part of the city? and how does the Gardai not do anything about it? I've lived in a few places including the US, Latin America, and Spain, and unfortunately I must say I've never felt so unsafe as I do in Dublin...

What is also pretty sad is that apparently these kid's parents live out of subsidies from the State, which is greatly financed by people like myself who come from abroad to work here and pay (quite a lot of) taxes.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Any advice on what can be done besides letting the Gardai know?

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Comments

Bob24

DickSwiveller wrote: »

There is also a serious lack of a Garda Presence around the City Centre. The Gardaí are supposed to prevent crime. They're pretty useless turning up after a crime has been committed.

Problem is that 1) they are understaffed and 2) in many cases the judicial system does nothing or very little about the people the guards are catching.

I’m not saying it justifies be lack of Garda presence/intervention or that the guards can’t improve the way they work, but I think it is more a problem with society/politics than with the efficiency of our police force.

We are following the same path as other European/Westen countries related to this, and if it is not made clear shortly that there is no tolerance with crime (no matter small or big) we will eventually get our own no-go areas (I would argue we already have some, but will agree with the previous poster that it is not comparable to some of Paris’ or orther Euorpean cities’ suburbs).

John_Rambo

IFSCYP wrote: »

Hi, I'd like to share some recent incidents that I've experienced in the last months in the IFSC and Spencer Dock with groups of 15/16 yr-old knackers who are harassing people in the street.

What follows is an excerpt of my testimony to the Gardai:

"On Tuesday 25/7/17 at 22.20 I was speaking on the phone while standing on the bridge that crosses the canal over to Spencer Dock (Major Street Lower). A group of around 10 young males sat near me, so I started walking towards Spencer Dock. At that point I noticed another group of around 10-15 young males were walking in my direction, just by the Spencer Dock ground level commercial spaces.

I then took a left down the stairs that are right to the left of the bridge and the former group of young males were suddenly right at my back. One of them (blond/red head. c.1.80m) pushed me while the others laughed. I turned around and asked him what he was doing, to what a couple of the others answered that what was I doing.

I turned around and proceeded to walk towards the Spencer Dock complex, looking backwards while they mocked and threw stones at me. When I arrived to the arch that delimits the Spencer Dock complex, I stopped and looked around to see if the young males were coming. Both groups were together now and walking in my direction. One of them screamed "there he is" and they all started to run towards me.

I turned around and started walking quickly, when another adolescent (black curly hair, sides cut more than the top. Black coat similar to a North Face Trevail Jacket. c.1.75m in height. Slim complexity) ran to me from behind and head-butted me on the left side of my face. I turned around and punched him in the face and started running away inside the Spencer Dock complex, the group of 25-30 young males running behind me.

I tripped and fell down after 10m, where a bunch of them kicked me on the floor. I managed to stand up and ran again towards the end of the complex's main corridor, trying to find an open gate or somewhere to hide. When I reached the end, I realized I had nowhere to go in that direction, so I turned around and ran in the same direction I had come from, hoping I'd be able to get in through any of the gates.

In my run back I passed through the whole group, which was scattered as they had been chasing me from the first arch. Almost every one of them I passed threw a punch or kick at me. When I reached the last gate I didn't have time to open it, so many of them got at me and starting punching and kicking me.

I don't recall how many blows I received, but at some point they all left running and I found myself on the floor bleeding heavily from the nose, with the Spencer Dock night guard next to me. Some residents came out and helped out with cloths and ice until the police came over."

--

Besides this incident, which left me with a herniated disc, and multiple head and face injuries, I have been thrown stones at in at least 2 other occasions, and just today I saw a group of kids throwing stones to a man who was walking towards the IFSC. Since the above mentioned incident happened I obviously try not to get involved with them whatsoever, so I just called 112 and asked them to put me through to the Gardai...

What the hell is going on in this part of the city? and how does the Gardai not do anything about it? I've lived in a few places including the US, Latin America, and Spain, and unfortunately I must say I've never felt so unsafe as I do in Dublin...

What is also pretty sad is that apparently these kid's parents live out of subsidies from the State, which is greatly financed by people like myself who come from abroad to work here and pay (quite a lot of) taxes.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Any advice on what can be done besides letting the Gardai know?

Any update on this IFSCYP? It's your first and only post on boards.ie.

As a non-national I find your vernacular very very impressive, correct spelling of Gardai (instead of using the word police) along with the particular use, and correct spelling of the very localised word "knackers" to describe young trouble makers. That, along with your perception of "these kids parents" being on subsidies and being "financed by the state" really point to someone that's Irish, or living in Ireland for a long time with all sorts of Irish notions and preconcieved beliefs about the locals along with the fact that most non-Irish would't realise it's a bridge over a canal.

I've been watching this thread for a while now, and aside from your first grenade, you haven't posted one single post to let us know what was the outcome.

30 youths delivering a serious beating is to say the least unusual. In any area in Ireland.

DickSwiveller

Bob24 wrote: »

Problem is that 1) they are understaffed and 2) in many cases the judicial system does nothing or very little about the people the guards are catching.

I’m not saying it justifies be lack of Garda presence/intervention or that the guards can’t inoroce the way they work, but I think it is more a problem with society/politics than with the efficiency of our police force.

We are following the same path as other European/Westen counties related to this, and if it is not mad clear shortly that there is no tolerance with crime (no matter small or big) we will eventually get our own no-go areas (I would argue we already have some, but will agree with previous poster that it is not comparable to some of Paris’ or orther Euorpean cities’ suburbs).

What you say is correct, and I don't blame the Guards personally. It's the whole ethos, from the courts to various quango's, that the hoods are victims and should be sympathized with.

IFSCYP

John_Rambo wrote: »

Any update on this IFSCYP? It's your first and only post on boards.ie.

As a non-national I find your vernacular very very impressive, correct spelling of Gardai (instead of using the word police) along with the particular use, and correct spelling of the very localised word "knackers" to describe young trouble makers. That, along with your perception of "these kids parents" being on subsidies and being "financed by the state" really point to someone that's Irish, or living in Ireland for a long time with all sorts of Irish notions and preconcieved beliefs about the locals along with the fact that most non-Irish would't realise it's a bridge over a canal.

I've been watching this thread for a while now, and aside from your first grenade, you haven't posted one single post to let us know what was the outcome.

30 youths delivering a serious beating is to say the least unusual. In any area in Ireland.

Hi John_Rambo, I haven't been responding because I didn't feel the need to defend the veracity of my "vernacular". You just have to see some of the news links posted above to realise that what happened to me could happen to anyone, and that in fact it could've been much much worse. This is a true story, whether the trollers here like it or not. Yes, it happened a while ago, but I decided to share it here just recently after seeing those little devils throwing stones at another guy.

On another note, no, I am not Irish. Some of the arguments I've read here to suggest that my story is BS are that my spelling and use of English are correct...Honestly, you must be very self-centered to think that. People learn English in other countries as a means to get better opportunities in life. That's what I was doing when I was these knackers' age, not beating up foreigners for the sake of it.

Regarding what I know about Ireland (which I believe is still very little), anyone who's been here for more than a couple of months knows many of these things, especially when you've been affected by them. Not sure what you mean with the "bridge over the canal tho" - are there no bridges over canals in other countries?

As for the outcome -- if you're really interested -- the Police/Gardai/Cops (call it however you like), very kindly informed me that they had caught one of the kids and that he was brought into the station by his mother. Apparently he was scolded there in front of the officer and THAT'S ALL he's getting...nice justice.

Phil.x

OP, just google sheriff St. Enough said.

A leopard never changes it's spots etc etc.

John_Rambo

IFSCYP wrote: »

Hi John_Rambo, I haven't been responding because I didn't feel the need to defend the veracity of my "vernacular". You just have to see some of the news links posted above to realise that what happened to me could happen to anyone, and that in fact it could've been much much worse. This is a true story, whether the trollers here like it or not. Yes, it happened a while ago, but I decided to share it here just recently after seeing those little devils throwing stones at another guy.

On another note, no, I am not Irish. Some of the arguments I've read here to suggest that my story is BS are that my spelling and use of English are correct...Honestly, you must be very self-centered to think that. People learn English in other countries as a means to get better opportunities in life. That's what I was doing when I was these knackers' age, not beating up foreigners for the sake of it.

Regarding what I know about Ireland (which I believe is still very little), anyone who's been here for more than a couple of months knows many of these things, especially when you've been affected by them. Not sure what you mean with the "bridge over the canal tho" - are there no bridges over canals in other countries?

As for the outcome -- if you're really interested -- the Police/Gardai/Cops (call it however you like), very kindly informed me that they had caught one of the kids and that he was brought into the station by his mother. Apparently he was scolded there in front of the officer and THAT'S ALL he's getting...nice justice.

Fair enough. Amazing story though. Thirty kids (that's a lot of kids), multiple head and face injuries, a herniated disc. One got caught to be given a scolding by his mother.

eldamo

John_Rambo wrote: »

Fair enough. Amazing story though. Thirty kids (that's a lot of kids), multiple head and face injuries, a herniated disc. One got caught to be given a scolding by his mother.

I walked over the bridge Thursday. Well more than 30 kids on said bridge.
I was leading a group of Americans and Germans who were over for the week.
One of the Germans got pelted with mud by the young fellas. Had to go back to the hotel and change.
If he had reacted in any other way than he had (laughing and continuing walking) I have no doubt that it could have escalated badly.

Shur it's just boys being boys....

There is nothing implausible in OPs post.

dhaughton99

I’m in the city nearly everyday but remain on the south side of the Liffey. I happed to venture over the ha penny on Friday morning around 11. I was only across the bridge when I came across an prick roaring is head off at his son of about 9. Kid in tears. Everyone looking at him. Not even 5 mins later on Liffey st, 2 junkies, one with a massive scar across his face, trying a van door while security from a jewelry shop looked on. 2 mins after that, a yo is putting his cigarette out on the seat of a bicycle while the owner is pushing it. I headed down to O’Connell st and got back over to the other side. Feck that.

Doltanian

dhaughton99 wrote: »

I’m in the city nearly everyday but remain on the south side of the Liffey. I happed to venture over the ha penny on Friday morning around 11. I was only across the bridge when I came across an prick roaring is head off at his son of about 9. Kid in tears. Everyone looking at him. Not even 5 mins later on Liffey st, 2 junkies, one with a massive scar across his face, trying a van door while security from a jewelry shop looked on. 2 mins after that, a yo is putting his cigarette out on the seat of a bicycle while the owner is pushing it. I headed down to O’Connell st and got back over to the other side. Feck that.

Dublin needs something like Duterte from the Philippines to come in and do a serious cleanup, there is some amount of human waste there. I was on the Luas last week and the racist abuse I witnessed a black man getting from a native pondlife was shocking, the black guy then apologised to the guy despite having done nothing wrong at all. I'm not from Dublin and I'm a country lad with morals and ethos but if the scummer spoke the same way to me as he did to that guy then I'd be the one who'd end up getting arrested most likely because I'd kick his arse from the Luas all the ways out to the RedCow.

DickSwiveller

Doltanian wrote: »

Dublin needs something like Duterte from the Philippines to come in and do a serious cleanup, there is some amount of human waste there. I was on the Luas last week and the racist abuse I witnessed a black man getting from a native pondlife was shocking, the black guy then apologised to the guy despite having done nothing wrong at all. I'm not from Dublin and I'm a country lad with morals and ethos but if the scummer spoke the same way to me as he did to that guy then I'd be the one who'd end up getting arrested most likely because I'd kick his arse from the Luas all the ways out to the RedCow.

Same. Was on the Red line Luas last Thursday and the amount of whinos openly swigging cans and roaring their heads off was a disgrace. Need some security on the red line

jsd1004

Assetbacked wrote: »

Dublin city centre is a kip; dirty and ugly. Im living in the north inner city and it’s particularly bad here. The police are such a soft touch where they won’t even physically hassle the inner city rodents for fear of getting assault and harassment claims thrown their way. It’s pathetic that the little knackers have no fear of the police. And a bike left in the city centre is guaranteed to be nicked or vandalised. North inner city is devoid of anything worth showing outsiders or nice to live in if you are in anyway a decent human being.

Dublin is a hellhole. We used to have the same gang problems that Dublin has now. It was sorted here (Limerick) and that control filtered down to the regular scum on the street. Dublin is out of control with gangs and that filters down to the lower levels who believe they can get away/aspire to be the gang lords

dhaughton99

Doltanian wrote: »

Dublin needs something like Duterte from the Philippines to come in and do a serious cleanup, there is some amount of human waste there. I was on the Luas last week and the racist abuse I witnessed a black man getting from a native pondlife was shocking, the black guy then apologised to the guy despite having done nothing wrong at all. I'm not from Dublin and I'm a country lad with morals and ethos but if the scummer spoke the same way to me as he did to that guy then I'd be the one who'd end up getting arrested most likely because I'd kick his arse from the Luas all the ways out to the RedCow.

Some proper policing would do it. You just need a force to kick the shins of the toe rags without cow towing to the liberals. Oh, and taking €50 out of their or their parents dole when they get caught doing something.

Doltanian

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Some proper policing would do it. You just need a force to kick the shins of the toe rags without cow towing to the liberals. Oh, and taking €50 out of their or their parents dole when they get caught doing something.

The problem isn't so much the police, basically the Guards are going into a fight blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs. The problems is the Judicial system and the pathetic sentencing in this country. What is needed is several new large prisons and proper sentences, Free legal aid should be abolished and like you said welfare cuts should be used as a tactic against those scumbags also.

[Deleted User]

I always find these threads interesting, seem to be no end of posters queuing up to channel Helen Lovejoy. Further to that I've spent my entire life in North Dublin basically but I haven't seen half of the stuff you guys have. That poster above who happened to wander over the Ha'penny Bridge saw more in a few minutes than I'd see in a few months.

DickSwiveller

jsd1004 wrote: »

Dublin is a hellhole. We used to have the same gang problems that Dublin has now. It was sorted here (Limerick) and that control filtered down to the regular scum on the street. Dublin is out of control with gangs and that filters down to the lower levels who believe they can get away/aspire to be the gang lords

Have levels of anti social behaviour improved in Limerick's estates? I remember my uncle drove me around Southill a few years ago and I was shocked at how the area looked: burnt out houses, cars etc.

[Deleted User]

Interested Observer wrote: »

I always find these threads interesting, seem to be no end of posters queuing up to channel Helen Lovejoy. Further to that I've spent my entire life in North Dublin basically but I haven't seen half of the stuff you guys have. That poster above who happened to wander over the Ha'penny Bridge saw more in a few minutes than I'd see in a few months.

You're lying or staying in clontarf in that case. There's no one working in the ifsc or on the red line who hasn't felt threatened at least a few times

[Deleted User]

Deleted User wrote: »

There's no one working in the ifsc or on the red line who hasn't felt threatened at least a few times

No-one? Every single person of the tens of thousands you've described have all been threatened a few times?

Yeah I'm really going to take an accusation of lying to heart from someone who comes out with absurdities like that.

L1011

Deleted User wrote: »

You're lying or staying in clontarf in that case. There's no one working in the ifsc or on the red line who hasn't felt threatened at least a few times

Been working in East Wall or the IFSC for five years until today in more than one company. Not felt threatened at all.

Hyperbole never helps.

John_Rambo

L1011 wrote: »

Been working in East Wall or the IFSC for five years until today in more than one company. Not felt threatened at all.

Hyperbole never helps.

I lived on Abercorn road for 15 years and didn’t see the stuff some people say they see on a daily basis! I still work in the area and cycle and walk around it.

Lots of snobbery and tall tales on this thread.

[Deleted User]

John_Rambo wrote: »

I lived on Abercorn road for 15 years and didn’t see the stuff some people say they see on a daily basis! I still work in the area and cycle and walk around it.

Lots of snobbery and tall tales on this thread.

Also I'd imagine a lot of people who aren't from Dublin and wouldn't know the area from Timbuktu offering their opinions.

eldamo

Interested Observer wrote: »

Also I'd imagine a lot of people who aren't from Dublin and wouldn't know the area from Timbuktu offering their opinions.

fine, meet you for a pint in noctors...

Bob24

L1011 wrote: »

Been working in East Wall or the IFSC for five years until today in more than one company. Not felt threatened at all.

Hyperbole never helps.

Interested Observer wrote: »

Also I'd imagine a lot of people who aren't from Dublin and wouldn't know the area from Timbuktu offering their opinions.

Hyperbole doesn’t help but implying that all is fine, or that people who have complaints are just snobbish or don’t know the area, is no better.

There are indeed many dodgy people on the red LUAS (usually not at rush hours, more in the afternoon or the evening) ... I don’t know about threatened but definitely enough to make many passengers feel at least uncomfortable. Foley Street and Sheriff Street are definitely streets where a “normal” person can fell threatened (especially at night but also to some extend during the day - and for the record I have indeed worked in an office just next to Foley Street). A place like Mayor Square is of course better, but it is just next door and walking through it everyday I regularly spot dodgy things which while not making me feel threatened will need to be addressed or could escalate. And so on ...

Also I suspect some people here don’t take into account the fact that the level of both perceived and real threat will differ depending on physical apparence. For exemple I can garantee that while a young and petite Asian woman will feel 100% safe in Ranelagh, they will not in most of the north inner city (and it is not postcode snobbery or fantasy, those are people who came to Dublin fairly recently with no preconceived ideas and I do know many who have been victims of crime/abuse in that area). A tall and strong European man in their 30s/40s probably won’t feel as much of a difference, but it is telling us more about who looks like a good target for abuse/crime than anything else.

John_Rambo

John_Rambo wrote: »

I lived on Abercorn road for 15 years and didn’t see the stuff some people say they see on a daily basis! I still work in the area and cycle and walk around it.

With my petite Asian girlfriend!

Everlong1

A 12 week training course in Krav Maga self defence with a reputable gym/school. Since scum now rule the streets you have to learn how to defend yourself.

Tar.Aldarion

John_Rambo wrote: »

With my petite Asian girlfriend!

Ask her how she feels walking around alone, no problem doing it at evening/night? It's been a completely different experience for me (fit young male) and any girls alone in my experience, and I'm in a grand area, Phibsboro! Not a word is ever said to me (or a girl if they are with me) but on their own they've had bottles, eggs thrown at them, nonstop jeering, comments and so on. I have no doubt that people that aren't from Ireland get way more **** than me, especially going through rougher areas.

Doltanian

Conceal carry for law-abiding Citizens without a Misdemeanour offence would quickly sort out these feral rats. Lead is the only thing they deserve for they are not human.

L1011

Doltanian wrote: »

Conceal carry for law-abiding Citizens without a Misdemeanour offence would quickly sort out these feral rats. Lead is the only thing they deserve for they are not human.

No, it'd lead to said "law-abiding citizens" being shot dead.

John_Rambo

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Ask her how she feels walking around alone, no problem doing it at evening/night? It's been a completely different experience for me (fit young male) and any girls alone in my experience, and I'm in a grand area, Phibsboro! Not a word is ever said to me (or a girl if they are with me) but on their own they've had bottles, eggs thrown at them, nonstop jeering, comments and so on. I have no doubt that people that aren't from Ireland get way more **** than me, especially going through rougher areas.

She got on fine. No problems. As did my kiwi and Russian female neighbours.

Yanks

Yeah, I work in IFSC at one of the financial companies. I was living on Harrington St. when I first got here as it was paid for by the company. Great area! I'd turn the corner and be on Camden St. So that was cool. Now I live in IFSC literally a two minute walk to work, not a bad apartment to be honest. It was funny because the first time I went to Talbot St. it was to get my shoes fixed and shined. I looked on Google for somewhere close to work because the place I went to in Rathmines was trying to charge an arm and a leg which I thought was ridiculous. Get the F$%ck Outta here with that bull****! I told him that does not even cost that much on Wall St, which is true, but we'll forget that noise as the shoe repair on Talbot did a great job for a reasonable price! The first time I walked down Talbot it definitely reminded me of certain neighborhoods back home NYC including mine. Now that I live in IFSC and I travel to Talbot St often you definitely see the difference. I saw some people smoking meth or crack whatever it was under the train station the other day, Muthafu

Yanks