“The far-right will not win,” say PBP, after arson attack on Muslim prayer hall

People Before Profit has strongly condemned the suspected arson attack on the Al-Madinah Prayer Hall on Talbot Street and a racist incident in Poppintree Park in Ballymun over the weekend.

Ballymun-Finglas councillor Conor Reddy said, “this is a frightening incident and our full solidarity is with the Muslim community in Dublin and with everyone who worships at Al-Madinah.”

“An attack on a mosque or prayer hall is an attack on all of us, and on the diverse, inclusive city that Dublin should be,” he said.

“This is shocking, but sadly it is not surprising; there has been a febrile climate of racism, and Islamophobia whipped up in this country,” Reddy asserted.

“We have seen attacks on IPAS centres and homes, harassment on our streets, and a growing confidence among racist and far-right forces.”

Reddy stated, “this hatred does not come from nowhere; it is driven forward by far-right figures in Ireland, elected and unelected, linked to an international far-right ecosystem around figures like Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk, and then echoed, softened and normalised by sections of the political establishment who dog whistle and toy with racism to divide us.”

The People Before Profit councillor stated “we got a glimpse of this in action during the Dublin Central by-election when former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he was ‘worried about the next generation of Muslims in Ireland’ while speaking to a constituent who was recording him as he canvassed her home.

“That kind of rhetoric feeds the atmosphere we are now seeing. It casts Muslims as a threat, as outsiders, as people to be watched or feared,” he claimed.

Speaking on another racist incident that took place in Poppintree Park over the weekend, Reddy also criticised attackers who assaulted Sanctuary Runners during their weekly parkrun.

People were physically assaulted, verbally abused and had false allegations levelled against them by a man recording on his phone

“These incidents show the urgent need for a more active anti-racist movement: one that puts the blame for the crises in housing, health and public services where it belongs with billionaires, landlords and the establishment and one that stands shoulder to shoulder with our neighbours to reassure them that they are valued, that they belong and that the far-right will not win.”

Reddy said the politically motivated violence stand in contrast to Dublin Pride.

“At the weekend, Dublin Pride showed the best of this city, tens of thousands of people celebrating in a display that was colourful, defiant and full of solidarity.”

“That is the real character of Dublin; we need to fight to make sure that is the city experienced by everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they believe, or the colour of their skin,” he said.

“People Before Profit will be supporting United Against Racism in showing solidarity with the Muslim community and saying clearly: no more.”

“No more racist intimidation. No more Islamophobia. No more attacks on places of worship or homes. We need to defeat this hatred before it does any more damage,” Reddy said,