The Ireland embassy in India on Friday condemned the violent attacks on Indian citizens in the country and said racism and xenophobia have no place. The Embassy announced that Ireland’s deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister will hold discussions with Indian community representatives on August 11.The Embassy released an official statement declaring, “We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. They are an assault on the values of equality and human dignity that Ireland holds dear.”The Embassy emphasised that Irish society rejected racism and xenophobia, stating that the actions of a small group do not represent the Irish people’s true nature and will not be accepted.Regarding the Indian community’s impact, the statement noted, “Over 100,000 Indians now call Ireland home. Our society is enriched by the diversity of people who live in Ireland, particularly our Indian community, whose contributions continue to deepen the bonds between our nations.”“The Embassy is in regular contact with the Indian mission in Dublin and the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs is in ongoing contact with An Garda Siochana, Ireland’s police force, regarding investigations.MEA on attacks in IndiaPreviously, on August 1, the Indian Embassy in Ireland had issued guidance to its citizens to exercise caution and maintain situational awareness for their safety, following an uptick in physical assaults against Indians in the country.The MEA reported that Ireland has evolved into a key educational destination for Indian students, especially for postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral studies in engineering, technology, medicine, and management fields. Currently, approximately 10,000 Indian students are enrolled in Irish educational institutions.The Indian embassy notice said there has been “an increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently” and that the embassy was “in touch with the authorities concerned”. It advised Indian nationals to take “reasonable precautions”.Attacks on Indians in IrelandRecent incidents in Ireland have witnessed multiple assaults targeting Indians. In a disturbing event, an Indian-origin six-year-old girl from a family hailing from Kottayam in Kerala faced racial harassment in Waterford City, southeast Ireland. While playing near her residence, she encountered hostility from youngsters aged 12 to 14 who hurled racial slurs, labelling her as “dirty” and demanding she “go back to India.“In a separate occurrence, six teenagers launched an unprovoked assault on a senior data scientist as he returned from his dinner. The attack resulted in a fractured cheekbone.The victim shared his experience on LinkedIn, stating “They snatched my glasses, breaking them, and then beat me relentlessly across my head, face, neck, chest, hands, and legs—leaving me bleeding on the pavement.”
