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Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Man's jaw broken in attack after convicted killer's 'misinformed' TikTok
A Muslim man was hospitalised with a broken jaw after a convicted killer involved in a far-right 'vigilante' group wrongly accused him of inappropriately approaching children in a park. The footage, which went viral on social media before it was labelled 'misinformation' by gardaí, was filmed by Gerard McNamara and posted to his TikTok account. The group later claimed they engaged in vigilantism by bringing the man to a nearby Garda station. But this claim was also dismissed by gardaí, who said they fear someone will 'end up dead' as a result of targeted 'nonsense' published by far-right groups online. The footage, which went viral on social media before it was labelled 'misinformation' by gardaí, was filmed by Gerard McNamara and posted to his TikTok account. Pic: File A Garda spokesman also confirmed the man's 'alleged conduct was not of a criminal nature and there was nothing untoward' in his behaviour. Killer McNamara – who kicked and beat his own father to death – is part of a group that previously revealed has begun staging street patrols and has members in almost every county in the country. Sinne na Daoine, founded by failed general election candidate and former Ireland First president Anthony Casey, describes themselves as a 'community watchdog'. Sinne na Daoine, founded by failed general election candidate and former Ireland First president Anthony Casey, describes themselves as a 'community watchdog'. Pic: File They have been publicly backed by former MMA fighter and self-styled presidential candidate Conor McGregor. Last week, McNamara posted footage of a man sitting in the People's Park in Limerick city. He and other members of the group surrounded the man, whom they accused of approaching children in the park. They later claimed they brought the man to Henry Street Garda Station in the city. In the footage, the man explains he was simply saying hello to a baby who was with their parents and grandparents. But one of group responds, saying: 'It doesn't matter – you don't go near kids no matter where the f*** you are. A Muslim man was hospitalised with a broken jaw after a convicted killer involved in a far-right 'vigilante' group wrongly accused him of inappropriately approaching children in a park. Pic: TikTok A woman with an English accent is heard telling the man that it is their local playground and they want their 'kids to be safe'. The man then tried to shake a member of the group's hand but was told: 'I should smack your head off.' McNamara is heard asking the man if it is part of his religion to 'marry nine-year-olds'. The man replied 'no' and shook his head in disgust. He was then told the gardaí had been called and that they would be reporting him to the accommodation he is staying. 'F*** you, coming over here,' McNamara adds before the video cuts off. A source familiar with the incident said McNamara later shared the 'false information' about the man on social media, making him a 'walking target'. Sinne na Daoine leader Casey later claimed they brought the man to the Garda station after the video was taken. But a source familiar with the case denied this version of events. They told 'All they did was make him a walking target by sharing the false information all over social media. 'A day later, the man was targeted in an attack and hospitalised. He had his jaw broken after these vigilantes made baseless claims about him and spread it about social media.' In response to queries from McNamara insisted the group 'walked' the man they approached in the park 'to the garda station', adding 'the garda never showed up'. He also denied that he or members of his group were responsible for the subsequent brutal assault of the same man. McNamara said in a text response: 'If we broke his nose, we would of never ringing the garda. If we attacked him be stupid if we broke his nose and then walked him to the garda.' McNamara was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final two years suspended, in 2012 for killing his father in a drink-fuelled row. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Joseph 'Joey' O'Donnell, 48, at Hyde Road, Prospect, in Limerick on October 1, 2010. Mr O'Donnell died in hospital from blunt force trauma to the head, hours after his son had kicked him and beaten him with a number of household items. At the time, the court heard McNamara had 16 previous convictions, including theft and possession of drugs and public order offences. The convicted killer addressed his past in a video posted to TikTok this week. He claimed he has no idea why people are commenting under his posts that he is a murderer and that he didn't want to have to 'lower himself' by explaining what actually happened. He also doubled down on the video he posted about the man in the park, saying there is 'evidence' of 'this Muslim foreign fella' approaching children, but without providing any proof. McNamara tells his followers: 'I have never, ever spent a day in prison in my life for murder. I don't know where you're getting all this from. 'I had an argument with my dad, alright. An argument with my dad. He didn't f***in' die, he didn't die there and then. We had an argument. I'm not going to go into the details. Things were said. He hit me, I hit my dad, he fell, banged his head. Got up, continued on drinking. Guards came, ambulance came. Get your facts right. I was never locked up for murder.' McNamara admitted he made a mistake, but asked: 'Who never had a drink with someone, got in a row and hit him in the head?' He added: 'He died three days later. I got charged with manslaughter. He's my dad. I love him. I miss him. I didn't go out with a balaclava and a gun. I didn't bate him with f***in' weapons.' previously reported how Sinne na Daoine publicised their first and second 'patrols' in Limerick city and Clonmel in Co. Tipperary on social media. They have also listed the names of companies or people they label 'plantation enablers' on their website. A picture from the group's first patrol in Limerick city showed Kildare South election candidate Casey posing alongside group were dressed in orange vests with the Sinne na Daoine logo. A source familiar with the group's operation told 'They are organised and anyone who wants to join is screened.' Gardaí have been closely monitoring the group as they 'patrol' the streets. A source said: 'It is a concern to gardaí and they are monitoring their activities.' In response to queries, a Garda spokesman said: 'On Monday, June 30, 2025 a number of members of the public expressed their concern to gardaí attached to Henry Street Garda Station, for the alleged behaviour of a man who had earlier been seated in the People's Park, Limerick. 'Having carried out enquiries into these concerns, An Garda Síochána is satisfied that the alleged conduct was not of a criminal nature and was nothing untoward. The male fully co-operated with gardaí during the course of their enquiries.' The spokesman also confirmed gardaí are 'investigating an assault of a male that occurred in the Parnell Street area of Limerick City at approximately 3:45 pm on the afternoon of July 1'. It is an offence to communicate threatening, abusive or insulting material that is intended, or likely to 'stir up' hatred against a group of people because of their race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins.
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Irish Times
Afghan refugee attacked in Limerick after being wrongly accused by far-right group of approaches to children
An asylum seeker has been hospitalised after he was attacked in Limerick . The incident happened a day after the man was approached by suspected members of a far-right group who recorded him as they falsely accused him of inappropriate approaches to young children. The videos were shared on social media and gardaí believe the man was singled out for attack the next day by someone in Limerick who recognised him from the footage. The victim is an international protection applicant in his 40s from Afghanistan . Gardaí described as 'misinformation and disinformation' the videos of the man recorded in the People's Park, Limerick City, as people surrounded him on Monday and accused him of inappropriate approaches to young children. READ MORE A Limerick-based group working with migrants said the Afghan man had been subjected to a 'targeted act of harassment and violence'. The Irish Times has learned one of the men who shared the footage of Monday's incident online has served a prison sentence for killing his father. Gerard McNamara is also an active member of Sinne Na Daoine, a far-right group that claims to conduct 'patrols' to 'protect' the community in Limerick and other parts of the country. It is very active on social media though it has a minimal following. It is suspected some of the people who approached the Afghan man in the People's Park on Monday, accusing him while recording, were also members of Sinne Na Daoine. However, the attack on the same man the next day was being treated by gardaí as a separate incident, even though it appears to have been prompted by the footage from Monday. McNamara (37) was convicted of the manslaughter of his father Joseph 'Joey' O'Donnell at Hyde Road, Prospect, Limerick City, in October 2010. The fatal attack occurred after they had spent the day drinking. McNamara was in 2012 jailed for eight years with the final two suspended. The videos of Monday's incident are described as 'Muslim man trying to take children in public park' and the group's approach to the man, and the accusations they level at him, are described as a 'citizens arrest'. The man tries to explain, using limited English, he is from Afghanistan and there was 'no chance' he would 'take a baby'. However, he is accused several times of inappropriate approaches to children as he is filmed seated on the bench. Doras, a migrant and refugee rights organisation based in Limerick, said it was 'appalled by the recent assault in Limerick of a man from a migrant background, following unfounded and fabricated allegations against him'. 'This was a targeted act of harassment and violence' that had led to 'outrage among the vast majority of people in Limerick who reject racism and vigilantism'. In reply to queries, the Garda confirmed 'a number of members of the public expressed their concern' on Monday to gardaí about 'the alleged behaviour of a man who had earlier been seated in the People's Park'. However, enquiries concluded the man's conduct 'was not of a criminal nature and was nothing untoward', adding the man had 'fully co-operated with gardaí'. The Garda also confirmed that, separately, it was investigating an assault on the same man in the Parnell Street area of Limerick City at about 3:45pm on Tuesday. The victim was taken to Limerick University Hospital for treatment and his injuries were not life-threatening. The Garda stressed it was 'the sole agency' with the responsibility and power 'to investigate crime and enforce enacted legislation'. Anyone who had concerns a crime had occurred should report it to the Garda for investigation.
