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Indian community hold silent protest at Department of Justice after attack

A petition was handed to the Minister for Justice calling for greater action against hate-related crimes
A petition was handed to the Minister for Justice calling for greater action against hate-related crimes

A silent protest by members of the Indian community in Ireland has been held at the Department of Justice.

More than 100 people attended the vigil in a show of solidarity with the victim of a violent and unprovoked assault in Tallaght last weekend.

Representatives handed in a petition to the Minister for Justice calling for greater action to be taken to prosecute hate-related crimes.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to the assault that occurred at Parkhill Lawns, Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24 on 19 July at around 6pm.

Eyewitnesses and gardaí have confirmed that the Indian national, who's in his 40s, was the victim of an unprovoked assault.

A silent protest by members of the Indian community in Ireland has been held at the Department of Justice.
Protesters outside the Department of Justice

He was wrongfully accused of acting inappropriately in the area and was set upon by a gang of young teenage boys.

The victim had just arrived in the country a week prior to the assault and had started work with a tech company in Dublin.

The gang pulled the victim to the ground, and was beaten and stripped from his waist down.

They ran off with his clothes and left him bloodied and shaken on the street.

An Garda Síochána have recorded the incident as racially motivated and are investigating it as a hate crime.

No arrests have yet been made.

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'Not acceptable'

Speaking at the protest, Shashank Chakerwart said that it was important for the Indian community to come together.

"As a community, it is important for us to come together and simply protect the dignity of that human being who was stripped naked, who was stabbed in the face, who had to walk around the street. You don't want that on Irish streets," he said.

"We have recently celebrated 100 years of Irish democracy. We are an evolved nation, and this is how we are behaving and acting on Irish streets. It's not acceptable.

Shashank Chakrwarti India Protest
Shashank Chakerwart

"It most certainly isn't an isolated incident, because there are so many migrant communities have been impacted by these violent teenage gangs," he added.

Harshita Singh, who is also a resident of Tallaght, said that it is mostly younger people who are intimidating migrant communities.

"These are mostly teenagers, I would say, or people of a younger age, between 10 and 20. You go out to get groceries or to go for a stroll, and these youngsters try to bully you," she said.

"You can not react, because if you react, they will do more to you. On and off, it keeps on happening.

Harshita Singh India Protest
Harshita Singh

"We are not really free, in our heads, to go walking late, or do things in the evenings. Any time I'm in the office late, I’m really scared.

"This incident is a major one, it's near my place. It’s where my children are, and I am totally scared to go and do my normal things outdoors," she added.

Politicians have also condemned the assault and said the full force of the state should be mobilised to bring the perpetrators to justice.

People attending an anti-racism vigil in Tallaght
People at an anti-racism vigil in Tallaght

People also attended an anti-racism vigil in Tallaght this evening.

A small group of counter-protesters gathered at the edge of this evening's vigil.

Jennifer Murray, who helped the Indian man who was injured, addressed the 'Stand Against Racism' Vigil.