Mother takes son out of school over nearby anti-immigration protests
A mother has decided to temporarily take her eight-year-old son out of his Dublin school due to fears about nearby anti-immigration protests.
Andreea-Claudia Calin has taken her son out of Canal Way Educate Together School in Dublin 8, where protesters have gathered at drop off and collection times.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Ms Calin said it is her understanding that the protests began in response to a Government plan to revamp a nearby IPAS centre.
The protests are "not conducted in the most appropriate manner", she said, and the final straw for her was when she received an email about a knife incident at a nearby school.
"I could see my son being anxious, he was asking why there was a tent outside (the school)...I try to do what's best for my son and keep him home because I was afraid," she said.
Ms Calin said parents and the local community are worried about upsetting the protesters in case the situation escalates.
She said the school principal has "worked tirelessly" to resolve the issue and has managed to get a garda car outside the school during drop off and collection.
However, she is worried about what might happen if things get worse.
"It doesn't seem normal and it's not sustainable," she said.
"What if things escalate? Today they have an organised protest, more numbers outside of the school."
Ms Calin said her son "loves school" and misses his friends. His teacher has been helping her to do some school work with him at home but "it's not easy," she said.
"And I'm one of the lucky people who can do that and keep him home... some parents can't," she added.
"It's disheartening. I just got my citizenship, my family got their Irish citizenship. My daughter was born here, my son doesn't know any other home. I've been an immigrant since I was little, I lived for 20 years in Greece and I've seen the situation change there.
"It really worries me that I don't feel welcome in a country that I call my home. I don't know what can happen next."
Ms Calin said she has thought about leaving Ireland but does not know where to go. She said she has spoken with some of her neighbours from other countries who are considering returning.
Speaking about her time in Greece, she said her father first moved there many years ago when there were very few immigrants.
She said that over the years as more and more people moved there, locals became "angry, tired and let down by the government" and took their anger out on immigrants.
"The far-right began gaining support, the mood on the streets changed, there were protests, they were hostile, they were harassing people of different colour on the streets. I'm worried that this will happen here," she said, adding that this was one of the reasons she left Greece.
Ms Calin said she has written to TDs about the situation at her son's school but "no one replied, no one acknowledged it".
The school is "doing their best," she said, but there is not enough coverage of what is happening.
"No one speaks about the children, the right that they have to go to school in peace. They're affected, families are affected; the focus should be on them," she said.
Ms Calin has called on the Government to come and listen to the school, the parents, and the protesters.
"To try to find a solution, if that's possible... I would love for my son to be able to go back to school."
The principal of Canal Way Educate Together said they are "always saddened" when a child temporarily withdraws from school, especially when the situation involves "complex challenges that lie beyond the school's capacity to fully address or control".
'Respectful resolution'
In a statement, Dermot Stanley said the school is continually monitoring the impact of the protests on the community.
"Despite our direct request and repeated pleas to the protesters for a different approach, these have so far been unsuccessful," he said.
"We have notified the departments and ministers of education and justice, An Garda Síochána, the INTO, Fórsa and other relevant stakeholders, seeking a respectful and inclusive resolution that prioritises the wellbeing of our entire community."
Mr Stanley said the tent structure that Ms Calin mentioned was moved to within four metres of the school gate and two metres from the IPAS hall door.
He said they have formally contacted the HSA, DCC planning, DCC fire prevention, DCC traffic and An Garda Síochána.
"To date, no authority has taken action to remove it or the protesters," he said.
A garda statement said officers attended the scene of an alleged assault and public order incident at Basin Street in Dublin 8 on Wednesday 28 May at 8.45am.
A male youth was arrested in relation to that incident and has since been released.
A file will be prepared for the Garda Youth Diversion Programme and investigations are ongoing.
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