US embassy in Dublin warns tourists against walking alone after attack left an American man with serious injuries

• The US embassy in Dublin has issued a security warning to Americans traveling to the city.
• It said to avoid walking alone and not to show off expensive watches or jewelry.

Americans traveling to Dublin have been warned to avoid walking alone after a series of violent attacks in the city and the brutal assault of a US tourist last week.

The US Embassy in Dublin issued a security alert on its website after "a number of recent incidents" were reported by Irish media outlets.

"Avoid walking alone, if possible, especially during hours of darkness," the embassy wrote.

Tourists were also warned to avoid showing off expensive jewelry or watches and not to place passports or wallets in the outer pockets of their backpacks or on tables in public spaces.

"Be vigilant. Pickpocketing, mugging, and 'snatch and grab' theft of mobile phones, watches and jewelry can occur," the embassy added.

Last week, the Irish Mirror reported that a New Yorker was hospitalized and could lose an eye after he was attacked in Dublin city center by three youths. The Garda, Ireland's national police force, told the Mirror it believed the attack was random.

Stephen Termini is in intensive care following the alleged attack, the Irish Examiner reported Wednesday, while dozens more gardaí officers have now been promised to patrol the city's streets, per the Irish Times.

The report comes amid a sharp rise in violent crime in Dublin since the pandemic. Parts of the capital also saw significant increases in the number of hate crimes reported in 2022.

According to Tourism Ireland, 1.7 million Americans visited Ireland in 2019.

Nearly 40,000 people are expected to travel to the city from the US in August for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Navy at the Aviva Stadium.

The event could boost the local economy by about 147 million euros ($164 million), per the Irish Independent, which cited a report from Fáilte Ireland and Grant Thornton.