Racist graffiti costs firm €5,000

A COMPANY that manufacturers PCs has been ordered to pay €5,000 to a Nigerian national after racist graffiti was sprayed on a toilet wall.

IQon Technologies, based in Dundalk, Co Louth, was ordered to compensate former employee, identified only as Mr Ogobamidele, after the Equality Tribunal found the graffiti constituted harassment on race grounds.

Mr Ogobamidele complained to a supervisor on July 17, 2003, claiming a racial comment, “the black boy must go”, was written on the wall of the men’s toilet. After inspecting the cubicle, Mr Ogobamidele and the supervisor met with the managing director.