A Dublin shop owner has said he is still 'a bit afraid' as he prepares to reopen his doors after last week's riots in Dublin.
Abbey Street shop owner Reji Yohannean said the mob caused around €60,000 in damage after smashing its way into his shop and taking 'everything'.
Mr Yohannean said he took shelter in the basement with two other staff members.
He told Newstalk Breakfast that they were just about to close early last Thursday when a gang smashed their way in with hammers.
"We knew some trouble happened in the city centre and we thought we'd just close our shop early," he said.
"We just closed our shop at 8pm and we were just about to leave - we had just closed our front door and even the shutter was half down - and suddenly a big mob came in with hammers.
"They trashed my front glass window and they just came in and looted everything."
'We hid there'
Mr Yohannean said he and two staff took shelter in the basement.
"We just ran to the basement and we locked the door and we hid there," he said.
We just stayed there for two hours; we were just calling the Guards.
"We got help from the Guards after two hours."
A fire on Dublin's O'Connell Street during looting and rioting on 23/11/2023. Image: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ieMr Yohannean said his shop was completely destroyed.
"They just took everything," he said.
"They destroyed my coffee machine; they destroyed two tills and took all the money.
"They took all my off licence - all our beers, wines, spirits - everything's gone.
"All the cigarettes [are] gone and all the vapes gone.
"We just bought a new coffee machine and we spent about €15,000 on the coffee machine."
Mr Yohannean said he is getting support from the local community.
"We are getting the supports, but at the same time you're a bit afraid now," he said.
"Every day the situation is changing," he added.
Mr Yohannean said he is planning to re-open the shop on Wednesday.
