A season of hate - rise of racism North and South must be resisted

The summer of 2025 has seen a spate of racist attacks on members of minority communities in Dublin, Belfast and beyond. The season of hate was symbolised by the appalling sight of a boat with effigies of refugees burnt on a loyalist bonfire in County Tyrone in July.

Then on 19 July in Kilnamangh in Dublin an Indian man walking alone was viciously assaulted and stripped by a gang of youths. A local woman who came to his aid, Jennifer Murray, made a video describing graphically what happened and this had a national impact.

Among those who rallied in support of the victim and of those experiencing racist abuse generally were local Sinn Féin Councillor Niamh Whelan and TD Seán Crowe. The TD said that those involved are “sowing hate, fear, and division in communities that have suffered more than enough from a lack of resources from the government.” He said the attacks was “vile and utterly unacceptable on so many levels. An individual going about their day was set upon and now faces life-altering injuries simply because of the colour of his skin.

“Anyone who thinks this sort of mindless, racist violence makes their community safer is lying and fooling no-one. Some residents are increasingly nervous to leave their homes due to this type of behaviour, regardless of whether they are new arrivals to our community or have lived here all their lives.”

Rallies were held locally in Tallaght and in Dublin city centre in the aftermath of the attack as more people came forward to tell of other such racist assaults. Sinn Féin Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan and TDs Seán Crowe, Louise O’Reilly and Paul Donnelly were among those who took part in the city centre rally on 26 July.

Meanwhile in the North there were examples of members of minority communities being harassed in their homes and on the streets in several centres. This has culminated in August in Belfast with a gang of so-called vigilantes ‘patrolling’ the streets and stopping and harassing people and demanding ‘documentation’. Executive Finance Minister John O’Dowd of Sinn Féin said: “It’s pure racism, and the police need to be supported in dealing with it, and the police need to deal with it.”

South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Deidre Hargey said so-called vigilante groups do not represent our society, they simply want to control communities through violence:

“Political leaders have a responsibility to show leadership, call out racism and stand with the victims of this intimidation and violence. I have written to the Justice Minister offering to work alongside her and the police to ensure that those responsible are held to account.”

Back in Dublin it was announced that the official India Day celebration at Farmleigh in Phoenix Park due for 17 August is to be postponed . This followed two more incidents when an Indian nurse said her six-year-old Irish-Indian daughter was assaulted and called a “dirty Indian” while playing outside her home in Co Waterford. And another Indian man says he is to leave Ireland after he was assaulted, requiring stitches to a wound on his face, in Fairview Park in Dublin.

Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins said on 12 August “that any person in Ireland, particularly any young person, should be drawn into such behaviour through manipulation or provocation is to be unequivocally condemned”.

While many of the reported recent attacks were on Indian people, people of colour generally, immigrants and asylum seekers have been experiencing more verbal and physical attacks. As awareness has been raised more people have also come out against racism and in support of its victims. This needs to be sustained and increased in the time ahead if the rise in racism, much of it fuelled by hate and lies on online media platforms, is to be successfully resisted.

Appalling racist attacks on Indian community must be stopped – Matt Carthy TD - Sinn Féin