‘Harassed by a child’: Indian family in Ireland recounts disturbing racist encounter

In light of recent assaults on Indians in Ireland, a woman of Indian descent has claimed that her 60-year-old father faced racial harassment and inappropriate actions from a group of young boys at a bus stop in Dublin.

In a Reddit post on August 9, a friend of the woman recounted that she was with her father and sister waiting for a bus in Dublin when two boys, whom she estimated to be about 7 or 8 years old, came up to them. The woman stated that the boys initially requested selfies with her father, but afterward, they started to ridicule him while one reportedly attempted to snatch his wallet from his pocket.

“We tried to stay calm and ignored their behaviour. But then, shockingly, one boy blocked my father’s way, made grabbing gestures toward his crotch,” she said, adding that the whole ordeal left her family feeling defenceless.

“My father, aged 60, was harassed by a child right in front of his daughters, leaving us feeling defenceless. Knowing the current climate for people of colour in Ireland and being aware of the laws, it was frustrating not to have any immediate recourse,” she revealed.

Highlighting the “current climate for people of colour in Ireland”, she urged the Irish government to review laws so that children can be held responsible for serious misconduct.

“No one should have to feel unsafe or powerless in public spaces, regardless of their background,” the post read.

In the past week, an Indian-origin taxi driver and a six-year-old girl have been attacked in Ireland. The Indian Embassy in Ireland has issued an advisory urging Indians to stay vigilant following an increase in physical assaults across the country.

Meanwhile, the Irish Embassy in India has condemned the attacks. “They are an assault on the values of equality and human dignity that Ireland holds dear,” a statement on X read.