Irish President condemns attacks on Indians

Irish President Michael D Higgins has strongly condemned the recent attacks on members of the Indian community in Ireland, calling them “despicable” and contrary to the country’s values. In a statement, Higgins expressed a “deep sense of gratitude” for the “immense contribution” of the Indian community to Irish life, highlighting their role in medicine, nursing, the caring professions, culture, business, and enterprise. “Their presence, their work, their culture, have been a source of enrichment and generosity to our shared life,” he said. His remarks came amid growing concern over racially motivated violence. In recent weeks, Indian-origin residents have been targeted in a string of attacks, prompting the Indian Embassy in Dublin to issue an urgent safety advisory. It urged citizens to “avoid deserted places” and “exercise heightened caution,” warning of “an increase in the instances of physical attacks” against Indians. Against this backdrop, President Higgins paid tribute to the Indian community’s “immense contribution” to Irish life, from medicine and nursing to culture, business, and enterprise. “Their presence, their work, their culture, have been a source of enrichment and generosity to our shared life,” he said. The President also recalled the deep historical ties between the two nations, including shared independence struggles, the role of Irishwoman Margaret Cousins in founding the All India Women’s Conference, and decades of “vibrant” diplomatic relations. He said such acts of violence “diminish all of us and obscure the immeasurable benefits the people of India have brought to the life of this country,” and warned that “messages of hate or incitement to violence” — including on social media — “damage and corrode the most fundamental instincts of Irishness” such as hospitality, friendship, and care for others. “These principles must apply to all who form part of Irish society today, without exception,” Higgins said, adding that Ireland must remain “one in which all communities can live in safety, dignity, and mutual respect.” There have been several cases of serious assaults against members of the Indian community in the past few weeks. On July 19, a 40-year-old Amazon employee from India, in Ireland for just three weeks, was beaten, stabbed in the face, and partially stripped by a teenage gang in Tallaght, Dublin. Authorities are investigating the case as a potential hate crime. Jennifer Murray, an Irish woman who intervened, said in a video posted on July 20 that “at least four Indian men and another man have been facially stabbed by this gang of teenagers…” She said the victim had to undergo a brain scan and was left “completely scared for life.”