An African community leader has said the inability of the State to protect immigrants against racism is “ripping the country apart”.
Abdul Yusuf was reacting to racist graffiti he saw on the walls of a vandalised business premises near Cherrywood Estate in Clondalkin, west Dublin. The Nangor Centre building is home to a number of businesses employing immigrants, including a doctor’s clinic believed to be owned by a Pakistani immigrant.
According to Yusuf: “Inscriptions were sprayed on all angles of the building, mainly targeted at immigrants of black and Asian origin. One read ‘Black out’ and the other read ‘Pakis out’.”
Yusuf said the gardaí should do more to prosecute those who are racially attacking immigrants so that such incidents do not spread to other communities across the country.
“Should immigrants be blamed for the current recession?” he said. “I can't see the reason why something like this should be happening at this time.”
He also condemned the speed with which gardaí allegedly facilitated the removal of the graffiti.
“The police officers were quick in getting a painter to cover up the mess,” he said. “What a shame.”
Yusuf added that he was “surprised nothing has been heard” about the incident beyond the locality.
“The issue of racism in this country has to be addressed and tackled very seriously,” he said. “Immigrants are no longer safe on the streets, let alone at places of work.”
Just before press time the Garda Press Office responded to Metro Éireann that it was unaware of the incident.
