Immigrant delivery driver hailed hero after stopping Dublin knife attack

Amy R. Connolly
·2 min read
5
UPI
Police officers stand near the scene following a serious incident near Parnell Street East in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday. A man has been detained after allegedly five people, among them three children, near a school in central Dublin, police said. Photo by Mostafa Darwish EPA-EFE/

Nov. 25 (UPI) -- A 43-year-old Brazilian delivery driver is being hailed a hero after using a motorcycle helmet to thwart a stabbing during Dublin's anti-immigrant violence.

An online fundraiser to "Buy Caio Benicio a pint" has raised more than 350,000 euros, about $383,000, since it launched on Thursday. Benicio, a Rio de Janeiro native who lives in Dublin, witnessed the stabbing as he was passing by on his moped.

Irish national broadcaster RTE said Benicio -- who has been living in Ireland for a year -- was working as a delivery driver when he saw a man attack a woman and three children. He originally thought it was a fight.

"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," he said. "Just hit him in the head with all the power I had. And he fell down. And I hit him and then come other people and start to to kick him."

Benicio he didn't even realize the events unfolding around him were related to ongoing anti-immigrant protests in Dublin.

"I am immigrant and I was right there to protect Irish people," he said. "We are here to work. Most of the people are here to work hard and make the economy of the country better. The work we do here is good for the country. It's good for themselves. They just have hate."