A documentary photographer who says she was attacked by football fans in Dublin on Saturday has expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support she has received after sharing the experience online.
Carly Clarke, a London-based photographer, uploaded footage of the alleged incident on social media, showing what happened on Abbey Street in central Dublin on Saturday afternoon, reports RTE.
In the video, a man among the Schalke fans appears to push her camera aside.
Another photographer can also be seen falling over after stepping in to help, according to the post which has been viewed nearly seven million times on X, reports RTE.
Clarke said she has received “hundreds and hundreds, even thousands of messages” from Schalke fans expressing their shock and dismay.
German football team FC Schalke 04 said the club had travelled to Dublin for a special trip with fans to enjoy a friendly match in the city, reports RTE.
An estimated 2,000 Schalke supporters accompanied the team and its officials.
In a statement, the club described the images circulating on social media since Sunday afternoon as “disturbing and hard to process,”
“These incidents are completely unjustifiable and have overshadowed the trip,” the statement read. “We utterly condemn these incidents and, as announced, will rigorously investigate the events and take appropriate action. This review process began yesterday, despite the fact that the information at our disposal is still unclear,” reports RTE.
“FC Schalke 04 wants to express its sympathy for those affected by the incident and wish them a full recovery,”
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ms Clarke recounted that she and her friend Steve were walking through central Dublin when they heard festive drumming and assumed it was a parade.
“A whole bunch of us rushed around the corner to see what was going on,” she said, reports RTE.
She explained that she got close to the crowd and began taking photos.
“I got quite close and then realised that this wasn’t what I thought it was, when a man grabbed the camera out of my hand and then pushed my friend, Steve, when he tried to help me,” Clarke said.
“Steve was then pushed to the ground and people kept kicking him,” she continued, reports RTE.
“What was so shocking to me is that once he was on the ground, everyone kept kicking him, nobody would let him get up. I kept trying to pull him up off the ground. And I was so shocked by it. I kept thinking – how could you do this to an older man?” she added.
Three women, who were filming the crowd, came to Steve’s aid and offered assistance.
Clarke said the women were distressed and told her, “this wasn’t usual for Ireland,” reports RTE.
She noted that Steve sustained injuries to his head and neck, but he is doing well, and they are currently in contact with the Gardaí.
Gardaí have confirmed that they are conducting inquiries into an alleged assault that occurred on Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1, on 11 October,
However, no formal complaint has yet been submitted by any individuals involved, a Garda spokesperson said, reports RTE.
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