GARDAÍ HAVE ASKED hundreds of people who have gathered on O’Connell Street in Dublin city centre to disperse after a fake ‘Halloween parade’ was advertised online.
The fake event, posted on social media and circulated to thousands online, promised to start on the north side of the city and make its way down to Temple Bar. However, no such parade was planned or due to take place.
Hundreds of people turned up for the non-existent event, which it is now suggested was a large-scale, elaborate prank. Gardaí have requested that they leave the area safely.
In a post on social media this evening, a spokesperson said: “Please be advised that contrary to information being circulated online, no Halloween parade is scheduled to take place in Dublin City Centre this evening or tonight.”
People waiting for a halloween parade. #Dublin
— Artur Martins (@arturmartins) October 31, 2024
No Gardai around, no official announcement, people waiting on the wrong side of the road...
Someone did pull a big #hoax #Prank pic.twitter.com/zTQUShZrya
Live streams and clips shared on TikTok and other social media websites this evening show O’Connell Street filled with prospective parader go-ers.
Videos advertising the event, and posted to video-sharing platform TikTok, have been viewed up to 80,000 times.
It appears the videos have used footage of a parade in Dublin on 31 October 2023 by theatre company Macnas as proof that the event is an annual-outing. However, Macnas organised this year’s event in Co Galway.
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