Anti-racism group YARI (Youth Against Racism and Inequality) staged a socially-distant press conference outside the Garda Siochána Ombudsman Commission in Dublin today to coincide with the release of a survey on racism perpetrated by Gardai members.
Writing in The Journal yesterday (07/04) YARI activist Haritha Olaganathan stated,
A WORLD SLOWED-DOWN has exposed the deep-rooted inequalities in the Irish state, and we must grapple with the fact that the ‘land of a thousand welcomes’ is one that consciously ostracises people of colour, immigrants and Travellers in the world of work.
The survey results revealed that:
- 91% of people from African, Asian and Traveller backgrounds have suffered microaggressions
- 70% have suffered verbal assault
- 29% have suffered physical assault
- 35% of respondents from these communities had been randomly stopped by a Garda.
- 85% of people from African backgrounds stopped by Gardai felt racially profiled
The murder of George Nkencho, a 27-year-old man, outside his home in Clonee by Gardai on December 30th, 2020 prompted YARI to conduct a survey on racism perpetrated by the Gardai and to use the data to demand that the GSCO takes racism into account when dealing with the investigation around the killing of George Nkencho. The survey gathered over 160 responses from people of Black, Asian and Traveller backgrounds.
The survey results come just a day after video footage of members of the Gardai assaulting members of Nkecho’s family was leaked on social media. There has been uproar from activists regarding the policing of BIPOC communities in Ireland.
There will be an online public meeting held this Saturday coming (10/04) on Zoom ‘Racism & Misogyny: from micro-aggressions to police violence – how to fight back’ to discuss the findings. Register for the meeting here.
