Local politicians have criticised an attack on three people who were taking part in a run organised by Sanctuary Runners in Poppintree Park.
The assault, which took place on Saturday, June 27, saw three men assaulted by a man in an attack with racist undertones.
The men were subjected to unsubstantiated allegations, which were then used as a justification to intimidate and attack them.
Sanctuary Runners were established as a means for members of the immigrant and refugee community to connect, and the Poppintree Run is aimed at helping them integrate into the community.
Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis and local councillors Anthony Connaghan, Leslie Kane and Edel Moran have condemned the assault, calling it “disgraceful.”
“This is not the first time that we have seen racist attacks on people and property or that false allegations have been used to justify such despicable behaviour,” the Sinn Féin politicians said.
“As Republicans, we say that there is no place in our communities for such violence or hate, and we condemn this unprovoked assault.”
Local Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, who also serves as the party’s spokesperson for justice, said that the increase in racially motivated attacks in Dublin and across Ireland is “something that should concern us all.”
The Dublin Central TD said, “misinformation and disinformation about migrant communities have been allowed to run rampant, with no consequences for those spreading lies and hatred online.”
“The government , meanwhile, doesn’t have a strategy for combatting the level of aggression being directed at migrants. Instead, they only seem to talk about the issue in terms of the burden placed on our homelessness services or the need to manage our immigration system – without talking about the actual people within this system,” he noted.
“Migrants should be able to live their lives without fear of being physically attacked or racially abused. Instead, many are terrified every time they walk our streets,” Gannon said.
“The Minister for Justice urgently needs to get in front of this problem and develop a strategy to tackle racially motivated violence before the situation escalates further.”
People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy, who is a councillor for the Ballymun-Finglas area, said “these incidents show the urgent need for a more active anti-racist movement.”
Reddy said that the movement should put the blame for the crises in housing, health and public services “where it belongs with billionaires, landlords and the establishment.”
He said that the anti-racism movement should “stand shoulder to shoulder with our neighbours to reassure them that they are valued, that they belong and that the far-right will not win.”
“We need to defeat this hatred before it does any more damage,” he said.