On Thursday night, Dublin city center saw a large gathering of people for what many believed was a Halloween parade, only to discover it was a false alarm. The commotion began when a rumor spread online claiming that a parade would occur on O’Connell Street. Social media was filled with images of crowds eagerly awaiting the festivities.

The Irish police, known as Gardaí, issued a statement clarifying that there was no scheduled Halloween parade and advised attendees to “disperse safely.” The unexpected turnout led to temporary disruptions in the Luas tram service, with some sections of both the Red and Green lines being out of operation for approximately thirty minutes.

Among those who gathered on O’Connell Street was Hashel Thilanka. He expressed his disappointment in an interview with BBC News NI, noting that he wished the event had been debunked earlier. Thilanka recounted waiting for an hour alongside others before being informed by Gardaí that the parade would not take place.

In other Halloween-related news, celebrity Heidi Klum made headlines by showing up at her annual Halloween party dressed as E.T., while Lizzo drew attention with her costume inspired by a recent South Park episode. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of revelers descended upon Derry for one of the largest Halloween celebrations in Europe, showcasing the festive spirit of the season.