Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has stated that recent assaults targeting members of Ireland’s Indian community are driven by racism, criminal behaviour, and the targeting of vulnerable individuals, reports Breaking News.
He expressed particular concern over the involvement of young people in these attacks, noting that senior Gardaí are closely monitoring their activity.
The Ireland India Council has reported that the Indian community has faced a coordinated campaign of hostility on social media, and incidents of violence have risen sharply since January, reports Breaking News.
Due to safety fears, the council last week announced the postponement of its planned India Day event at Farmleigh House.
Addressing the issue, Mr Harris said he had a meeting with Indian ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra two weeks ago.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan voiced his concerns over the attacks on the Indian community and also highlighted a separate incident in which a tourist was critically injured. However, he insisted that Dublin is becoming a safer place, reports Breaking News.
He pointed to an increased Garda presence on Dublin’s streets.
“All citizens and all the individuals residing here do know that An Garda Siochana is there to protect them,” Mr Harris said.
“We’ve been engaged in a considerable outreach programme now with the Indian community as well, so that when incidents happen they are reported promptly, and then we’re able to mount investigations. Yesterday, we received a series of reports on progress that was being made on the state of the inquiries and you can rest assured these matters are being supervised at the highest levels within An Garda Siochana,” reports Breaking News.
He added: “In part, there is racism in this and in part it is an element of crime as well, and picking on the vulnerable too.
“So, there is a combination, I think, of racism and then seeing individuals who people regard as being vulnerable, and that is motivating these attacks as well,” reports Breaking News.
He said the participation of juveniles in these incidents is “particularly concerning”.
“Obviously, we have spent a lot of resources in terms of juvenile liaison officers and so, through that network then, we’re reaching out and trying to bring behaviours, obviously, back to proper state, but also then trying to detect those who have been involved,” reports Breaking News.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan reiterated his concern over the targeting of the Indian community, while again stating that Dublin is becoming safer.
He also expressed concern about the recent assault on a tourist in the Temple Bar area, reports Breaking News.
“I met with the Indian community and I expressed to them my concern about some recent attacks upon them,” Mr O’Callaghan said, reports Breaking News.
“I think it’s important to point out, however, that when you look at the latest crime statistics, that assaults on the person are down in terms of the first six months of this year from the first six months of last year. It’s also the case that there are more gardai on the streets in Dublin. I was looking at the RTÉ News last night, and Stephen Kennedy from Copper + Straw (coffee chain) was on, somebody who I’d worked with very intensively before I became Minister for Justice, he’s got a business on Aston Quay. He notices that increased number of gardaí on the streets, as many do, and he wants to see it maintained. Listen, a large capital city is always going to have incidents of criminal behaviour. But my own view is Dublin is getting safer. I’m happy to walk around Dublin any time of the day or night, and I would like the message to go out to people that Dublin is a safe place to come into,” reports Breaking News.
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