Riad Bouchaker tells gardaí that he is an Irish national and that he went into what he described as a “blackout” after a refusal of social welfare. According to multiple reports, Bouchaker says he received a “negative decision” from the Department of Social Welfare, delivered in a manner he interprets as the state effectively telling him to leave. One source reports he attributes his condition to the department’s decision to refuse him support, describing the reaction as going into “blackout.” Another report adds that, through an interpreter, he explains how the refusal affected his mindset and perception of his position in the country. The articles indicate that Bouchaker is recounting his account to police in the context of the same incident, linking his reaction to the welfare refusal and the way he understands it as a response from the state. The sources do not provide further outcomes of the police interaction or details beyond his statements to gardaí about his identity, the welfare decision, and his reported reaction.