Indian student latest to be attacked in Dublin as India Day gets postponed

LONDON: An Indian student attacked in Ireland at the weekend said he was leaving Ireland as a result and would finish his course online from India.

The man, in his 20s, was walking home from Fairview Park in Dublin at 5.30 pm local time on Sunday when he was kicked and punched by a gang of teenagers. One of the group took his metal water bottle and hit him above the eye, causing heavy bleeding. He was taken to hospital where he received eight stitches. Gardaí confirmed they are investigating the assault and his injuries are “non-life threatening”.

An Indian-origin woman has put a post on Reddit saying her 60-year-old father was harassed by boys, aged around seven and eight, who tried to take his wallet at a bus stop in Dublin on Aug 9.

These are just the latest in a string of racist attacks targeting Indians in Ireland which have left the Indian community terrified to step outside.

India Day in Ireland, which celebrates the country’s cultural ties, has been postponed this Sunday owing to the wave of hate crimes. The event has been organised by the Ireland India Council since 2015. A Ficci India Day event is going ahead in Dublin on Aug 17.

Indian community leaders met Ireland deputy PM Simon Harris on Monday after which he condemned the “despicable acts of violence and racism”.

Chairman of the Ireland India Council Prashant Shukla told Ireland AM: “We weren’t worried about the event itself as the Gardaí assured us about safety, but we were worried about the perception it could lead to further attacks. Our message to the Irish community is that these attacks are attacks on your economy and industry. Policing needs to go to the next level. I feel there are not proper investigations and arrests. We are all working, paying taxes and contributing to the economy. No one is getting a free house. People are spreading misinformation that Indians buying houses is causing house prices to go up.”

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins on Tuesday also condemned the attacks. “A lot of Indians are reconsidering their choices and may move back to India if the situation doesn’t improve. It is mostly being caused by far-right groups encouraging teenagers to attack immigrants. Indians are the most visible immigrants here,” said Indian national Some Aditya Mandal, who has worked in Dublin for eight years.