Gardaí warn public of 'misinformation' online following incident near Dublin school

An Garda Síochana have issued an appeal to the public to be aware of "misinformation" being circulated online and through direct messaging apps related to an alleged incident near a school in Dublin on Friday morning.

The incident, which took place near a school in Finglas, was due to a misunderstanding, according to a garda spokesperson.

On Friday morning, October 4, young adult male with limited proficiency in English was on the street and needed assistance to contact a family member - he was asking those passing by if he could use their wifi to contact a family member.

This request for assistance was misinterpreted and led to a call to Gardaí by onlookers.

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“On arrival, Gardaí made appropriate enquiries and subsequently brought the young man away with them solely to provide the assistance that he had sought in making contact with his family,” said a garda spokesperson.

“No criminal offence occurred and An Garda Síochána is satisfied that this person did not pose a threat to the public.

“An Garda Síochána is aware of misinformation in circulation regarding this matter and advise the general public, media and public representatives to independently verify the source of their information to ensure accuracy,” they added.