60 coronavirus-related racist incidents reported so far this year, says Irish Network Against Racism

A screenshot from the video of an alleged incident on Dublin's Royal Canal in recent days. The Irish Network Against Racism expects this incident to prompt further reporting of similar stories. 

There were 60 coronavirus-related racist incidents in the first four months of the year, according to the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR).

The new statistic was released in the wake of a racially-motivated incident in Dublin in which an Asian woman was verbally abused and pushed into the Royal Canal by a number of youths, while gardaí in Cork are also investigating an incident in which two Chinese men were allegedly racially abused and assaulted.

Gardaí in Togher are investigating the alleged assault on two Chinese nationals at Pearse Road, Ballyphehane, shortly before 8pm on Saturday night. It is understood the men, both aged in their 20s, were verbally abused by a number of male youths before being physically assaulted.

Both were taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment following the incident.

Gardaí are following a definite line of inquiry and investigations are ongoing.

INAR has reported a rise in anti-Chinese incidents in recent months.

Shane O’Curry, director of INAR, said the Covid-19 outbreak has acted as a trigger for racism, with abuse starting on social media before manifesting in physical acts of violence.

“Between January and April this year, we logged about 60 incidents that were coronavirus-related. These were incidents where something was said blaming the victims for causing coronavirus,” Mr O’Curry said.

The vast majority of the victims were of Chinese origin but also people who were wrongly assumed to be Chinese and also migrants in general.

Mr O’Curry said there was “huge under-reporting” of hate or discriminatory incidents, with an estimated 80% of incidents not reported. He said he was pleased to see gardaí take the Dublin incident seriously.

“It’s important that a very strong signal is sent out that this is not acceptable, that this isn’t being done in the name of the community, and that there will be swift consequences for it," he said.

There was a pattern to the rise in coronavirus-related incidents which began as “tropes” online and escalated into real life, he said, describing these incidents as "a precursor to violence".

“If we’re going to tackle this at the root problem then you’re going to really tackle a culture of racism that we have in this country, which includes these myths and tropes that are spread on social media."

Mr O’Curry said social media companies have a “huge responsibility” to bear and need to embrace the European voluntary code of conduct that is already in place or the government should appoint a regulator for social media.

Legislation on incitement to hatred and hate crime is being formulated, he said, but a national action plan against racism is also needed.

Dr Lucy Michael, who authors the network’s annual iReport, said coronavirus-related attacks were a “new element”, with the first report of this nature being reported to INAR on January 30.

“Now that we’ve come out of the physical lockdown around the country anger is being directed at Chinese communities here,” Dr Michael said.

She expects a rise in reports following the Dublin incident. 

“Public discussions of racism are important because they allow people to tell their story and to show solidarity with people that they will be believed if they come forward to tell their story."