A Deliveroo rider has told how he used his helmet to hit the man who had attacked a woman and three children in Dublin city centre yesterday.
Caio Benicio is originally from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and arrived in Ireland a year ago.
The dad-of-two witnessed what he thought was a fight taking place on Parnell Street so intervened.
He told RTÉ last night: "I was working like a normal day. And I was passing by in Parnell Square when I saw.. at first I thought it was a fight with a man and a woman. A normal fight like, you know, and I slowed down my motorcycle to see more closely what's happening."
Mr Benicio saw a woman who, he said, was "pulling the girl, you know. And she was very, very brave, you know, because you could get the girl from the man, and the little girl run away and the man he grabbed another one."
It was then he noticed the man had a weapon.
"So when I saw the knife, I just pull up, I just break my bike and pull up my motorcycle," Mr Benicio said.
"I saw him stab the little girl. And it was everything by instinct. I remember, I took off my helmet, to protect myself and use it as a weapon.
"Just hit him in the head with all power I have. And he fell down. And I hit him and then come other people and start to to kick him, you know."
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Afterwards, Mr Benicio made a statement to the gardaí about what he saw.
"I was in shock. I didn't even have time to be scared," he said.
"You know, when we see a man with a knife with a five years old kid. You don't. You don't think you just...just act. I think anyone is gonna do the same."
A fundraising drive for Mr Benicio following his efforts has so far raised over €250,000 over the course of the day.
Mr Benicio did not see any of the riots in town afterwards as he went home and took medicine to calm himself down as he was shaking, but saw some of the videos of the incidents and said: "There are protests against immigrants and I am immigrant and I was there, right there to protect Irish people you know.
"They don't even know what's happened. I think the people there on the streets like put fire on the garda car and they should know what happened before, you know.
"We are here to work. Most of the people are here to work hard. And make the economy of the country go better. The work we do here is good for the country. It's good for themselves, you know, they just have hate."
