Suzanne Harrington: Reel in the anti-immigrant rhetoric 

I worry about the normalisation of racist anti-immigrant rhetoric in Ireland — not to mention its irony, given how Irish immigrant communities are everywhere on earth, and have been forever,  writes Suzanne Harrington

If people like Bertie Ahern – a former taoiseach, no less – can spout anti-immigrant rhetoric on people’s doorsteps, how are black Irish people meant to feel safe? Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

“The ones I worry about are the Africans.”

Me too, Bertie Ahern, me too. I worry that in a busy Dublin city centre street, an African man accused of taking something from a shop died in broad daylight after he had been restrained by a group of so-called ‘security guards’. Watching that horrific footage reminded me of watching George Floyd being killed - nobody did anything. Nobody intervened. People just stood there, watching this unfold. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that had Yves Sakila been white, he would still be alive. So yes, Bertie Ahern, I worry about the Africans.