By Roseleen Mc Donagh
November 23, 2023, the weather is mild enough. The winter evenings are long. Christmas lights create a warm, gentle atmosphere in the city. Reuben’s room is dimly lit by a single flickering bulb, casting long shadows across the worn carpet. The peeling paint on the walls reveals layers of history, each crack telling a story of neglect. Through the cracked door, he glimpses his mother’s face, her eyes heavy with worry. She knows her son and his four siblings will not attend school tomorrow. She worries about the other Roma families. Roma women and girls will be targeted more forcefully because of their traditional dress—the children and what they are witnessing.
Ruben and his family reside in cramped living conditions, sharing a single room with several family members. Some hubs for homeless people restrict families’ access during the day, permitting them to return only at night. These families are gripped by paralysing fear. This recent incident heightened anxiety has been exacerbated by recent riots, amplifying the pre-existing racism faced by these Roma families. The increased fear is visible in a group of Roma mothers like Elena at the school gates, easily identifiable by their distinctive long skirts.
The chanting of the rioters from the past night echoes in Reuben’s ears, a cacophony of distress and unrest that sends shivers down his spine. He covers his ears, trying to block out the noise, but it only seems to grow louder, suffocating him in its intensity. The texture of the peeling paint beneath his fingertips is rough and uneven, a stark contrast to the smoothness of his mother, Elena’s, as she reaches out to comfort him. The shocking incident of violence that occurred in Dublin on November 23, 2023, led to a series of chaotic events that impacted Ruben and his family.
At around 1:30 pm, near Gaelscoil Cólaiste Mhuire, a Dublin city primary school, a man attacked a group of young children with a knife, leaving three children and a woman in her 30s injured. This disturbing incident prompted a swift response from the gardaí, who were at the scene by 2:10 pm, confirming the occurrence of a severe incident. As the afternoon progressed, more information surfaced about the victims of the attack. A five-year-old girl was in serious condition, while two other children had less severe injuries. The perpetrator, a man in his 50s, became a part of the ongoing investigation.
As the evening approached, the situation became more tense. More than 150 protestors gathered in the area, leading to clashes with the Gardaí. The disorder intensified when protestors set off fireworks and even set a Garda patrol car on fire near O’Connell Street. The unrest spread, resulting in the suspension of public transport services, including Luas and Dublin Bus. As the night progressed, more details emerged about the victims, with a five-year-old girl in serious condition and two other children with less severe injuries. The assailant, a man in his 50s, became part of the investigation. As evening fell, the situation escalated further when over 150 protestors gathered in the area, leading to clashes with the Gardaí. Disorder intensified with protestors setting off fireworks and even setting a Garda patrol car on fire near O’Connell Street. The unrest spread, resulting in the suspension of public transport services, including Luas and Dublin Bus.
Throughout the night, the chaos escalated into looting stores in Dublin’s city centre, leaving the public order unit struggling to contain the situation. By the night’s end, considerable damage to public property, several arrests, and several individuals due to appear in court had occurred. The initial act of violence against innocent children had spiralled into a more extensive attack, which many attributed to the rise of the far-right.
The far-right landscape in Ireland is characterized by a diverse range of ideologies and movements that share common themes such as nationalism, anti-immigration sentiments, and opposition to what they perceive as threats to traditional Irish identity. Some factions emphasize a genuine commitment to preserving what they view as Irish culture and identity, rejecting globalization and multiculturalism. Economic anxieties and fears of job displacement are often exploited to fuel anti-immigrant sentiments despite evidence suggesting that immigrants contribute positively to the Irish economy.
” The internet provides a platform for the rapid dissemination of extremist views”
The far-right opposition to pluralism and diversity poses a threat to the inclusive fabric of democracies, potentially leading to the erosion of civil liberties and minority rights. Another concerning aspect is the utilization of social media by far-right groups to spread their ideologies and recruit followers. The internet provides a platform for the rapid dissemination of extremist views, enabling the far right to connect with like-minded individuals globally. Online spaces can act as echo chambers, reinforcing and amplifying beliefs and contributing to the radicalization of individuals who may feel disenfranchised or marginalized.
The far-right attack on minority communities is significant. Immigrants, religious minorities in the Roma community, Gay Transgender people, and Deaf & Disabled people often become targets of discriminatory policies and violence. Hate crimes surge in areas where far-right ideologies gain traction, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for those who are most vulnerable. This misguided scapegoating further deepens societal divisions and exacerbates tensions. This war-like rhetoric contributes to a heightened sense of fear and urgency.
The use of racism, the burning of buildings, including the invading of libraries chanting, intimidation, and the targeting of Roma, Muslim plus Black & minority ethnic women and children reflects a disturbing trend. The rioters on November 23rd wore the uniform of cowards and bullies, covering their faces while carrying the tricolour, using it as a weapon of intimidation rather than a symbol of pride.
Recycled racism cannot become a part of our community. We have learned from our history as travellers and from our contemporary lived reality. It’s ingrained in our psyche and memories. The feelings of being shamed, untrusted, unwanted, or disrespected.
Racism hurts. It holds people back. It brings a lifetime of fear and trauma. Our accommodation issues have spanned over several decades. Long before new communities came to our country, despite the governments’ failures to implement Traveller and Roma policies, we must encourage our sisters, brothers, cousins, friends, fathers, and mothers to resist the divisive rhetoric of the far right and uphold the principles of tolerance, diversity, equality, and generosity.
