By Conor Tormey
Last weekend, an Indian man who had been in Ireland for just over a week was viciously attacked in Kilnamanagh, Tallaght, by a gang of ten people who beat, stabbed, robbed, filmed and humiliated him, falsely accusing him of an allegation of abuse. This is the latest in a series of racist attacks in the area. Videos of the attack have been shared and amplified by far-right accounts who have deliberately whipped up racism across the country. Attacks such as this have been an increasing occurrence for people of colour in the area, with at least five other people being attacked by the same gang over the past few weeks.
A video shared on social media by a woman who helped the man has helped publicise the vile racism at the heart of the attack, with nearly 500,000 views and over 9,000 likes. The harrowing video is an example of the decency that exists among working-class people and the disgust at this violence. The solidarity and humanity that the woman showed are exactly what we need in local communities. Solidarity, not division, is the only thing we can rely on in our communities, making us stronger and better positioned to fight for our needs.
Rising racism
This attack is one of many attacks in recent months on migrants, “justified” by false allegations. In Limerick earlier this month, a migrant man was assaulted due to false allegations. Far-right vigilante groups have popped up under the guise of protecting women and children. Neither will be protected by these groups, whose only purpose is to attack and dehumanise migrants, including women and children. The groups that have emerged in local areas have intimidated those they deem to be against them.
In Dublin 8, a man dropping off his child was chased and stabbed, accused of not being “Irish”. A parent, originally from Romania, said about the ‘Dublin 8 Says No’ encampment objecting to an IPAS center in the area, “The golden rule is ‘don’t upset the protestors’. This is the general consensus, to say, ‘don’t do anything that might upset them and escalate the whole thing’”. Local communities and anti-racists must push back against the fear and intimidation being spread by far-right agitators.
Government parties are deliberately whipping up this racism too. Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has made it his mission to be seen to take a stricter stance on immigration. In his seven months as the Minister for Justice, he has increased deportation orders, including ripping children from their communities. He’s arranged deportation charter flights to much fanfare to publicise these. All of this is part of a plan to scapegoat migrants and refugees for the failure of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to tackle the housing crisis.
Get organised
This attack in Kilnamanagh must be met with active opposition. The local community stands against the horrific attack, and this must be shown with protests in solidarity with the Indian community in Tallaght. Several actions have been called. In Tallaght on Friday evening at 6pm, ‘Dublin South-West Together’ has organised a solidarity stand-out at Rua Red, and on Saturday at 1pm, a protest has been called by members of the migrant community, marching from City Hall to the Dáil – endorsed by many groups who represent migrants, workers and other progressive forces.
This also must be a wake-up call to all anti-racists. We need to fight racism with solidarity in our streets, our communities, our workplaces, and build an alternative to racist violence and capitalist scapegoating.
Directly facing the far right and building mass opposition to those who want to instil racism, misogyny, and transphobia in our communities is necessary to push back the far right permanently. We need anti-racists organised in every area to ensure that racist lies are cut across in local communities. While the far right have yet to make electoral gains in many working-class communities, the crises created by capitalism will only further embolden their forces. We urgently need workers and young people to build a movement to counter the far right, and fight for a socialist alternative to the rotten capitalist system that foments their dangerous and disgusting ideas.
