Violence in Dublin threatens the city’s reputation.

A fortnight earlier, Ukrainian actor Oleksandr Hrekov was glassed and bitten by a group of attackers outside a theatre after taking part in a performance of Brian Friel’s play Translations. He was hospitalised after the attack and has since returned to Kyiv with his group.

It was reported that two men and three women tried to take Hrekov’s cigarettes before an altercation occurred.

More than 6 million tourists visit Ireland each year, creating 180,000 jobs and generating €3.9 billion ($6.45 billion) for the economy.

Against a backdrop of rising concern that the city centre has become increasingly violent since the pandemic, there have been promises by political leaders to get tough on the issue amid widespread criticism over a lack of police, or Gardai, numbers in Dublin.

One Temple Bar business owner earlier this year described the area as a “war zone”. Niall Sabongi, of The Seafood Café, said violence and anti-social behaviour were threatening many businesses, with gangs of youths running into the cafe making racial and sexual slurs against staff.

Cathal Brennan, a historian who operates walking tours of the city, said the increase in violence had made him shorten his guided walks and re-assess their feasibility.

“You end up avoiding areas that are just a bit sketchy,” he said. “I mean, 99 times out of 100 there could be no problems, but like, occasionally it just gets, you know, a drug addict or homeless people screaming at you. You sort of have a duty of care to the people on the tour, and the age demographic are older people a lot of the time.”

Brennan said that since the start of summer he’d seen just one policeman on patrol as he walked the city with groups of tourists, many of those in their 60s and 70s from the United States.

“If you went to Times Square, or you went outside Buckingham Palace, they’re normally very heavily policed. And there’s an idea that tourist areas are going to be safe for tourists to wander around. That’s not the case in Dublin,” he said.

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The Irish Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, was widely mocked when she told reporters last week that she was often “out and about” safely without her personal protection team when socialising in the city. But on Friday, after senior police conceded the number of officers had fallen since the pandemic, she announced an additional €10 million ($16.5 million) for policing in the Dublin region.

“We welcome all tourists, and we want people to know that, for the most part, Ireland as a country, and our cities, are safe,” she said.

“There are problems no different to any other country, and we update our advice to people travelling from here, and other countries update their advice.”