Indian woman celebrating Kerry victory in All-Ireland brutally beaten in racist attack
Sonali Flynn, who has lived in Ireland for 26 years, said the racially motivated attack left her traumatised and afraid to leave her home. She had been celebrating her home county's All-Ireland win in this year's football final before stopping at a local takeaway in the early hours of July 28.
It was here that a woman began to verbally abuse her, calling her 'a foreign b****'. Ms Flynn told Radio Kerry yesterday how the verbal attack seemingly came from nowhere, saying: 'The next thing I knew, was this woman just verbally started abusing me with the most heinous of words.' She had been celebrating her home county's All-Ireland win in this year's football final before stopping at a local takeaway in the early hours of July 28. Pic: Getty Images
Ms Flynn went on: 'I decided to walk out straight away, and that's exactly what I was doing when she grabbed me from behind and a very, very vicious assault took place with onlookers watching.'
During the attack, Ms Flynn was kicked, punched and dragged along the ground by her hair. And her head was slammed against a window. She was left traumatised. 'I actually didn't sleep that night because I was sobbing, I was crying, I was hurt,' she said.
A video of the incident surfaced on social media later. Ms Flynn highlighted how this had further traumatised her family, adding: 'My children are going through a lot of distress after having watched that video; it has impacted my children in such a negative way. Ever since the incident, I've actually not been able to move out of the house.' An Indian-born woman experienced a racist attack while celebrating Kerry's All-Ireland win, says she has 'never ever experienced something so horrific'. Pic: Supplied
She said she had never experienced racism in Ireland before the attack. 'I belong to this town, I believe I'm Irish. I believe I'm from this county. I have lived here for 26 years. My two children were born here in Tralee… I have never ever experienced something so horrific,' she said.
She noted that she believed the attack was 'an extreme', saying: 'I still strongly believe the majority of Irish people are the most welcome and loving people'. I am overwhelmed with the kind support that I have received from the finest of people in Kerry.'
The attack on Ms Flynn comes amid an increase in racially motivated attacks in recent weeks. She said this rise in violence is worrying: 'It's really such a pity that there could be one sector in a society that can have such hateful thoughts for another human being because of his or her skin colour.'
She added that she would be sitting out the upcoming Rose of Tralee festival as a result. 'It's a pity, this is my town.'
The increase in violent attacks caused Dublin's upcoming India Day celebrations to be postponed. The event was due to take place at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park on Sunday.
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan met representatives of the Ireland India Council yesterday to discuss the rise in violence. He said in a statement: 'Attacks on individuals because of their inherent characteristics, including race, are abhorrent to the values of our republic and are condemned by any right-thinking people.
'What I find most concerning about these attacks is that the majority appear to have been carried out by young people. I have been informed that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers are engaging with the respective communities and youth groups on the matter,' he said.
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