Minorities losing confidence in Gardaí as fewer racist incidents reported to authorities - report

Wed, 23 Mar, 2022 - 06:05

Michelle McGlynn and Steve Neville

The number of racist incidents reported to Gardaí almost halved last year when compared to 2020.

The Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) has launched the 2021 findings from iReport.ie - the racist incident reporting system.

The report found there were a total of 404 incidents recorded in the system last year.

It also recorded 154 criminal incidents including racist assaults and a record 90 reports of illegal discrimination.

The report found that 25% of crimes were reported to Gardaí in 2021, down from 43% in 2020. Those who did report a crime expressed extremely low levels of satisfaction.

It said that the group most targeted in crimes during this period were Chinese, South Asian and Other Asian, continuing a pattern change from 2020 prompted by Covid-related abuse.

While there were fewer incidents of serious threat than in previous years, there was a much higher rate of public order offences which involved aggressive and abusive behaviour and usually racist language, the report adds.

Overall, the numbers have reverted to 2019 levels "due to a decrease in reporting of online hate speech".

INAR describe a racist incident as any incident “which has the effect of undermining anyone’s enjoyment of their human rights, based on their background”.

Psychological impact

The report also highlights that there is a psychological impact on those targeted. It gathered "data on impact" in 131 cases of crime, discrimination and other incidents.

Twenty-four cases resulted in physical injuries, including three that immediately required hospitalisation. Two involved head injuries, and a further 3 involved injuries to the eyes or face. Two incidents were against women who were pregnant.

115 reports (88%) were described as having a psychological impact on the victim.

In one family, incidents of harassment from neighbours grew so unbearable that the mother and her children fear staying in Ireland any longer.

"I can’t sleep at night. My kids are scared to go in the backyard since the incident happened again. We feel we are forced to leave.

"I’m so afraid for the wellbeing of my kids that I even booked my flights to leave yesterday, but cancelled them because I cannot leave my husband here, who is Irish, but he is hated because of me."

Another person stated: "I’ve been wanting to kill myself, because I’d rather die than take this abuse anymore."

The report also highlights examples of some of the racist crime that has occurred in the 154 cases involving criminal offences in 2021. They include serious criminal harms and incidents of serious and general threat as well as criminal damage, theft and graffiti.

A 6-year-old girl was dragged in a noose by a neighbour’s adolescent son and the family was attacked with rocks by the same boy and his friends months later. The mother reported it to Garda, but Gardaí have failed to investigate. She is not sure if it is properly recorded.
A mixed-race woman was in a supermarket with her husband nearby. A stranger asked her about her background and where she was from, and then sexually assaulted her. She did not report to Gardaí, as she does not trust them since George Nkencho’s death.
A Black-African family were frequently harassed by two neighbours with racist slurs, violent knocking and throwing stones at the front door. They threatened to attack the house and children and to burn their car

INAR Peer Reviewer Siphiwe Moyo said the reduction in incidents reported to the authorities reflects a deterioration in confidence in An Garda Síochána.

She said this is partly due to ongoing experiences of minorities making complaints about repeat harassment and not receiving an adequate response from Gardaí.

Ms Moyo also indicated that there have been ongoing instances of racial profiling.

"The task for us is very clear. We must redouble our efforts to tackle racism including in our institutional responses to racism," said Ms Moyo.

"Efforts to change institutional practice have clearly still not borne fruit as the report findings show."

While 2020 saw a lockdown-related spike in reports of online incidents, last year saw a worsening of off-line experiences for minorities in Ireland.

The Chair of INAR Board, Claudia Hoareau, called on the government to follow through on promised Hate Crime legislation which she said has been promised this year "just as we were last year and the year before".

As well as this legislation, she said there needs to be a meaningful National Action Plan Against Racism which requires taking bold measures to eliminate structural, institutional and cultural racism in all areas of life.

"What all minorities need in order to be able to live as equals, is for our government and institutions to bring their weight to tackle racism and discrimination, and to combat the conditions which foster racism and discrimination," said Ms Hoareau.

People need ample resourcing and real leadership from government and they need it now, she added.

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