An Garda Síochána has criticised online misinformation linking the sudden death of a man in Dublin on Wednesday to immigration and international protection.
It appealed to the public to “independently verify” information communicated over social media and messaging apps.
National Ambulance Service paramedics tended to a man in his 30s who had taken “seriously ill” by Saggart Luas stop on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Garda said. Gardaí were asked by ambulance personnel to attend the scene and members of the force sealed off Fortunestown Lane.
The sick man was later taken from the scene to Tallaght University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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It is understood that a video posted on TikTok showing gardaí attending the scene at Fortunestown Lane led to online speculation around the cause of the man’s death, with some linking it to asylum seekers. The same video was later republished on X, formerly Twitter, by at least one anti-immigration account, and shared numerous times by others.
Fortunestown Lane is close to the Citywest Hotel, where international protection applicants are being temporarily housed. However, gardaí on Thursday said “speculation and commentary” linking International Protection Applicants to the man’s death was “completely false”.
“An Garda Síochána is aware of posts and comments online with misinformation and disinformation speculating and linking this personal incident to immigration and International Protection,” the Garda spokesman said.
The spokesman said that circulation of these unsubstantiated and false rumours was not only “generally unhelpful”, but also upsetting for the family of the deceased.
“An Garda Síochána is very aware of online misinformation, disinformation and fake news, not just in relation to this incident, but in general, in widespread public circulation,” he said. “An Garda Síochána appeals to all members of the public to independently verify any information that you are reading on social media and/or messaging apps.”
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