fighting words | 

Influencer Holly Carpenter hits out after Conor McGregor ‘fuels hate’ online

“I don’t think tweeting ‘Ireland, we are at war’ to his 10.2 million followers is helpful in this situation”

Yesterday at 13:28

Irish model and influencer Holly Carpenter has criticised a sports star for “fuelling hate” online after Conor McGregor posted incendiary comments stating Ireland is “at war”.

Holly spoke out in the wake of violence on the streets of Dublin which saw public transport vehicles destroyed, gardai attacked and dozens of people arrested.

Earlier in the day, three children and a woman were stabbed outside a school on Parnell Street by an Irish citizen who is originally from Algeria. He was apprehended at the scene by brave passers by and is undergoing treatment in hospital. The heroic woman who tried to stop the attack and a five-year-old girl remain in critical condition in hospital.

The day before the violence, McGregor had posted an astonishing attack on allowing immigrants to vote on his ‘X’ account declaring: “Ireland, we are at war”.

In a series of messages posted on his feed he adds: “Do not let any Irish property be took over (sic) unannounced. Evaporate (sic) said property. It’s a war.”

It follows earlier messages where he retweeted a comment by conservative news website Gript, which criticised Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for stating “everyone resident in Ireland can vote in Local Elections, regardless of nationality or visa status”.

Retweeting the Gript comment that offers “three reasons why allowing migrants to vote is ludicrous”, McGregor storms: “Imagine a mega power nation allowing this absolute foolishness!!”

After violent scenes brought Dublin city centre to a standstill on Thursday night and put huge pressure on emergency services, McGregor wrote: “you reap what you sow.”

Former Miss Ireland Holly took to her X account yesterday to voice her opinion.

She wrote: “Seeing an Irish athlete, with a huge following and a big influence (on certain people), fuelling so much hate on this platform is extremely dangerous. There is a direct link between his tweets & the violent scenes we saw in Dublin last night and he needs to be held accountable.”

Replying to a comment on the thread claiming “people are fed up,” Holly responded: “I don’t think tweeting “Ireland, we are at war” to his 10.2 million followers is helpful in this situation. Essentially encouraging a riot and putting the general public, Gardaí & ambulance drivers at risk.”

It comes after Tanaiste Micheal Martin yesterday criticised comments from Conor McGregor as “absolutely disgraceful” in the wake of an outbreak of violence on the streets of Dublin.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs was asked to respond to comments posted online by McGregor where he said “Ireland, we are at war” and “you reap what you sow”.

While Mr Martin did not name McGregor, he said comments “of that type” are “essentially inciting hate”.

“There has been many comments I’ve watched online of that type which are “absolutely disgraceful,” Mr Marin told reporters.

“We have a parliamentary democracy, we value that, Irish people do as well.

Isolated voices like that and voices that essentially are inciting hate and to some degree incitement is unacceptable.”

Following the comments, McGregor hit back with a scathing response, referencing the Ashling Murphy murder trial.

“Blame anyone but themselves. Typical. Worthless you are Michaél. Worthless and spineless. Ryan Casey called you all out last week grieving the love of his life, stolen by pawn scum, and nothing but waffle from you all since. Zero action!”

Yesterday, McGregor told his followers he did “not condone last nights riots”.

“I do not condone any attacks on our first responders in their line of duty. I do not condone looting and the damaging of shops. Last nights scenes achieved nothing toward fixing the issues we face. I do understand frustrations however, and I do understand a move must be made to ensure the change we need is ushered in. And fast! I am in the process of arranging.

McGregor added: “Believe me I am way more tactical and I have backing. There will be change in Ireland, mark my words. The change needed. In the last month, innocent children stabbed leaving school. Ashling Murphy murdered. Two Sligo men decapitated. This is NOT Ireland’s future! If they do not act soon with their plan of action to ensure Ireland’s safety, I will.”

During horrific scenes on Thursday night, 13 shops were significantly damaged or subject to looting, 11 garda vehicles destroyed through arson or extensively damaged and three Dublin Buses and a Luas tram were destroyed. Gardai were also injured during the violence.

Later on last night, McGregor posted a photo of vehicles on fire on O’Connell Street and wrote: “ What would Daniel O’ Connell say I wonder? What would our Irish leaders past say on the situation we face today? God bless Ireland.”

Earlier, McGregor posted an angry response to video footage of an interview with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris where he condemned the “disgraceful scenes” in Dublin on Thursday.

The garda commissioner said that a “hooligan faction driven by far right ideology” is behind the violence on the streets.

“Innocent children ruthlessly stabbed by a mentally deranged non-national in Dublin, Ireland today,” McGregor said.

“Our chief of police had this to say on the riots in the aftermath. Drew, not good enough. There is grave danger among us in Ireland that should never be here in the first place, and there has been zero action done to support the public in any way, shape or form with this frightening fact. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Make change or make way. Ireland for the victory God bless those attacked today, we pray.”