Community rallies to support family hit by vile racist attacks

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY in Ballybeg, County Waterford, have rallied to support a local woman and her family who have been targeted in a string of vile racist attacks in recent days.

Meriam Ajayi's home was daubed with hate-filled racist graffiti in the early hours of the weekend just days after the windows of her home were smashed in two separate attacks.

"The kids are terrified and we are living in fear”, Mrs Ajayi – originally from South Africa but who has lived for 15 years in Waterford, where her two teenage children (14 and 11) were born – said. 

“My children are looking up at me and my husband and we just feel at this stage that we are not able to protect them. We look like failures to them. We are just sick of it.”

Speaking to An Phoblacht, local Sinn Féin Councillor John Hearne described the attacks as “utterly despicable” and called on anyone with information to contact the gardaí.

Locals residents were quick to provide support and help Meriam clean up the damage caused to her home and send a message that the thugs behind such actions are not wanted in the Ballybeg community.

“Meriam is a a very well-liked lady who is well-known because of her work in the community,” Councillor Hearne said. 

“She helps out with the local football team where her two young sons play, as well as a being member of the local residents' committee and the choir. She's an easy-going person and I am appalled at what she and her family have been subjected to.”

Councillor Hearne praised the response of the local gardaí who he said had “pulled out all the stops” in working with the community to identify those responsible. 

He also said local councillors are working with the council's Anti–Social Behaviour Officer on the matter.

“The cowardly thugs behind these attacks need to be put out of business. Everyone needs to stand up to the cancer that is racism – it has no place in Irish society,” he said.