Indian representatives in Ireland want taskforce to address ‘spate of attacks'
Representatives of the Indian community in Ireland are to ask for a cross-departmental taskforce to address the "recent spate of violent attacks".
The Ireland India Council is to meet with Tanaiste Simon Harris on Monday afternoon and ask that such incidents are treated and recorded as hate crimes.
The issue has been highlighted after an Indian man was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Tallaght, Dublin, last month.
A silent vigil was held outside the Department of Justice by Friends Of India in response.
The Indian embassy in Dublin has also issued a warning that there has been "an increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently".
They said Indian citizens in Ireland should take "reasonable" precautions and avoid deserted areas.
Mr Harris has said he was "deeply concerned" about the incidents and that he was particularly affected by a reported attack on a six-year-old girl in Waterford.
He said one of the most concerning things was the "very young age of those that have been involved in some of this racist activity".
The Ireland India Council said they wanted assaults on members of the Indian community to be recognised as hate crimes, to ensure the offences are "appropriately recorded and addressed".
They will also call for a cross-departmental task force on hate crime and youth violence to deliver a coordinated response.
They also want "legislative reform to hold parents accountable for repeat violent behaviour by minors in their care".
They also have called for enhanced policing, swift prosecution of offenders, and an outreach programme to communities affected.
On Sunday, Minister of State with responsibility for migration Colm Brophy said he wanted the incoming Garda commissioner Justin Kelly to prioritise addressing these incidents.
"We actually have seen a drop in serious crime, but in this particular area, we have seen a rise in the type of attacks," he told RTE Radio.
"I think there needs to be a stronger policing response in this area because there's two aspects to these attacks which I think are very very unacceptable.
"The first is obviously the attack itself, and the second then is the recording and videoing of it and the disseminating of it on social media and there's a role that has to be dealt with there as well."
The Indian embassy has been contacted for comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
9 hours ago
- The Journal
Debunked: Viral video of Trump berating the Irish government over immigration is fabricated
IN A VIDEO showing a White House press conference, Donald Trump railed against the Irish government, calling the Taoiseach and Tánaiste 'criminals' and 'evil'. That speech, however, never happened. The footage that appears to show the US president ranting about Simon Harris and Micheál Martin has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, despite being an AI-generated hoax. The actual footage comes from a recent announcement by Trump about an investment by the US electronics company Apple. However, in the fabricated version of the video, the audio has been switched out with what appears to be an AI-generated rant against immigration in Ireland. 'You who say Irish identity, sovereignty, and culture is backward,' Trump appears to say in the hoax video, before smiling toward Apple CEO Tim Cook, standing awkwardly next to him. 'I will punish, humiliate and belittle you, for your sick globalist and woke ideology, anti-Irish agenda'. The fabricated audio, which is filled with misinformation, goes on to depicts migrants as a threat to women and children and the Irish government as EU puppets. The speech, however, is fake. The footage is an exact match for a video posted by the US Public Affairs Network C-SPAN on 6 August, in which he announced that Apple had pledged to invest $100 Billion into America. Advertisement Trump also spoke on other issues, including insulting TV hosts such as Stephen Colbert, and saying news about the administration's handling of the Epstein situation was a 'hoax'. He did not, however, address Simon Harris or Micheál Martin, or talk about immigration in Ireland during that press conference. The audio in the fabricated video appears to be generated by Artificial Intelligence software. While the accent of the speaker is American, and the tone of the voice is not unlike Trump's, it does not sound like him. The rhythm of the speech is unnatural, and sentences are broken up in odd ways that don't make sense, possibly in an attempt to keep the audio in sync with Trump's mouth movements in the video. However, despite these flaws, the video appears to have duped many people. 'Never thought I would agree with him but in this case I do', says one comment with more than 200 likes, posted under a Facebook video. A reply saying 'that's fake AI' garnered only five emoji responses. Other posts disagreed with the message in the video, but also seemed to be convinced that the footage itself was real. 'He should talk about crime,' one comment read. 'He's the biggest criminal in history.' That version of the fabricated video has been viewed more than 72,000 times since being posted to Facebook on 10 August. Want to be your own fact-checker? Visit our brand-new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for guides and toolkits The Journal's FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network's Code of Principles. You can read it here . For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader's Guide here . You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here . Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Indian Independence Day celebrated at the home of Sligo Rovers as its local community marks special bond with the club
It is the voice of former club President and native of India, the late Johnny Chadda which echoes around the ground as the teams take to the field of play at every home game in The Showgrounds. While an event to celebrate the occasion was cancelled in Dublin as a result of a number of assaults on members of the Indian community in the capital, the Sligo gathering went ahead with a strong message from all present focusing on the importance of inclusion and diversity. One of the event organisers, Nicholas Paul, spoke of the events leading to Indian independence, drawing parallels between his nation's struggle and those faced by the Irish in the 1920s around the time of the War of Independence. "Today is a wonderful reminder that we share a common past and future.' He said this shared future revolves around 'love, respect and working together.' The Indian national song was sung by Srikan Dawn followed by the raising of the Indian Flag while the Indian National Anthem was also played to celebrate the occasion. Cllr Donal Gilroy, Cathaoirleach Sligo County Council thanked the Indian community for the invitation saying the impact of former club president, chairman and treasurer, the late Johnny Chadda on Sligo Rovers and the Sligo community meant The Showgrounds was a fitting place for the ceremony to be held. "The Indian community has been one of our most active community groups. Your contribution to Sligo life has been significant and meaningful.' Cllr Gilroy also referred to the difficulties experienced by the Indian community in Ireland in recent weeks saying, 'We are here to show the people of Sligo are welcoming to communities, especially the Indian community, who come here to work and be part of our community.' Those sentiments were echoed by Sligo Rovers CEO Andrew Feakins who remarked, 'The Indian community and Sligo Rovers have a longstanding, historical relationship that has gone back many years, particularly relating to Johnny Chadda who was an icon of the club and it is wonderful once a year to celebrate the independence of India and not to forget the struggles, the challenges, that have taken place for that community and the Irish community in their history of struggles against the oppression of the British empire. "The rise of the voices that project hate and division should be drowned out by our solidarity in community, solidarity in diversity and inclusion of all ethnicities not just throughout Ireland but throughout the world.' ADVERTISEMENT The recent attacks on a number of Indian individuals in the Dublin area was strongly condemned by President Michael D Higgins. 'The recent despicable attacks on members of the Indian community stand in stark contradiction to the values that we as a people hold dear. That any person in Ireland, particularly any young person, should be drawn into such behaviour through manipulation or provocation is to be unequivocally condemned." To mark the strong links between the local Indian community and the county, forged by former Summerhill teacher Mr Chadda, a cheque was presented to the Sligo Rovers CEO by Anirban Bhanja, President of the Indian Association of Sligo. This was described as, 'A token of appreciation for the decades long, deeply rooted relationship between the club and the Indian community in Sligo. This gesture reflects our enduring bond and shared history with the local community.' Inspector Angela Cummins also addressed the assembled audience to highlight the contribution of the Indian community adding these links can be further strengthened. 'We enjoy very rich collaborations that grow from strength to strength every year. In every walk of life you are welcome." And, with a reference to the ongoing Garda recruitment campaigns, she added, 'Please come to us if there are any issues. We would love members from all our diverse communities to join An Garda Siochana because we represent you all.' The message of solidarity towards the Indian Community was also highlighted by Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan following a meeting he held with Ireland India Council and the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland, to discuss recent racist attacks on members of the Indian community. 'Any attack against innocent members of the public such as those suffered by members of the Indian community are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. 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,' stated Minister O'Callaghan.
Irish Independent
17 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: Indian community deserve gratitude for their contribution to society
An attack recently on a chef going to work, in which he was beaten and had his mobile phone, cash, credit cards and electric bike stolen, was a despicable act of terrorism on an innocent man. Last month, a taxi driver of Indian origin was assaulted in north Co Dublin and needed a dozen stitches to a head wound. A six-year-old Indian girl was attacked by a group of 12- to 14-year-old boys while playing outside her house in Waterford. Some Indian children are now afraid to go for a walk for fear of being attacked. What a sad situation in our country of 'a hundred thousand welcomes'. President Michael D Higgins is quite rightly upset by this treatment dished out to these people who have come to our country to work and raise their families. They make an immense contribution to our community in many aspects of life. Many are nurses, doctors, caring professionals, cultural leaders and politicians. Indeed, Ireland was led by Leo Varadkar (of Indian parentage) for a number of years, including through the Covid-19 pandemic, when his great leadership skills were to the fore. In my own experience of being attended by Indian nurses and doctors in a Dublin cancer centre of excellence over a long period, I have nothing but the greatest respect for these wonderful healthcare professionals. Let us all hope that as more awareness is being brought to this unfair treatment of our Indian population, we will remember the philosophy of the great Mahatma Gandhi: no violence, please. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo ADVERTISEMENT Learn more It's time for diplomats to use their skills to hold UN Security Council to account Is it not blindingly clear to everyone that the United Nations, an organisation that was set up to ensure a degree of peace in the world, is not fit for purpose? Countless letters to your newspaper over the years on the appalling situations in Gaza, Ukraine and other places around the world express public frustration indignation and disgust. But to what avail? Aggressors are still protected by their powerful international partners in crime as they proceed with their atrocities in defiance of worldwide opprobrium. Nothing seems to change. Has the time not come to put a stop to this protection by removing the veto that the five UN permanent members of the Security Council have abused so egregiously over the years? I would suggest that Ireland's diplomats, who are highly regarded internationally, should start the ball rolling on this before it is too late. Bobby Carty, Templeogue, Dublin 6 Impotent governments doing nothing about Gaza must answer to electorates Mary Robinson recently referred to the possibility of 'complicity' by many governments in relation to the actions of Israel's government in Gaza and the West Bank. While many democratically elected governments continue to express 'concern' at Israel's actions, not one has taken any direct action against its government. These governments also seem to refuse to listen to their electorates in this regard, raising questions relating to democracy. We need to let our elected representatives know our views. There can be no justification for the continuing Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank. We should and must hold our elected representatives to account – democratically, of course. Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Cork Ireland does not have a teacher shortage, it has a compensation deficiency It has been reported that more than 600 teaching posts remain vacant ahead of the new school term. The shortage of teachers is a growing concern. Reasons are multifaceted and involve recruitment and retention challenges related to pay, housing and working conditions. A teacher friend of mine said to me that this was not only a workforce issue, but the paucity of teachers was a sign of our housing crisis too. It is no coincidence that most of the schools that are reporting serious recruitment difficulties are located in the capital and the commuter belt areas, where accommodation is both scarce and prohibitively expensive. It could also be argued that there is no teacher shortage in this country. Ostensibly, we have thousands of qualified teachers who are no longer teaching. It's my assertion that there's a shortage of respect and proper compensation for teachers. I believe that a key factor behind the teacher supply crisis in Ireland is that teaching is no longer seen as being an attractive and sustainable career. It is interesting to note that many Irish teachers are now pursuing opportunities to teach abroad. This is often driven by factors like professional development, cultural exchange and a desire to experience new educational systems. This should be a clarion call to Education Minister Helen McEntee to take up the cudgels on behalf of our teachers. John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Trump and Putin forgot their table manners when sending out invites to talks The world will surely note the scenes in Alaska, where Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed the fate of Ukraine without Ukraine's president present. It was a worrying precedent: great powers deciding borders as if drawing lines on someone else's kitchen table. If this is to become the way of things, one wonders what might happen should Mr Trump turn his attention to 'uniting' Ireland. The negotiations would no doubt be held somewhere suitably neutral, such as Florida, with our own leaders invited only to admire the pens used to sign the agreement. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh US and Russia making a meal of things as they try to cook up a peace deal It's early days yet, but what are the odds on the Putin-Trump summit being remembered as half-baked Alaska? M O'Brien, Dalkey Co Dublin
