People Before Profit has strongly condemned the suspected arson attack on the Al-Madinah Prayer Hall on Talbot Street and a racist incident in Poppintree Park in Ballymun over the weekend.
Cllr Conor Reddy, People Before Profit Group Leader on Dublin City Council, said:
“We utterly condemn the suspected arson attack on the Al-Madinah Prayer Hall. This was a frightening incident and our full solidarity is with the Muslim community in Dublin and with everyone who worships at Al-Madinah.
“An attack on a mosque or prayer hall is an attack on all of us, and on the diverse, inclusive city that Dublin should be. This is shocking, but sadly it is not surprising. There has been a febrile climate of racism and Islamophobia whipped up in this country. We have seen attacks on IPAS centres and homes, harassment on our streets, and a growing confidence among racist and far-right forces.
“This hatred does not come from nowhere. It is driven forward by far-right figures in Ireland, elected and unelected, linked to an international far-right ecosystem around figures like Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk, and then echoed, softened and normalised by sections of the political establishment who think they can play games with racism without consequences.”
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, People Before Profit representative for Dublin Central, said:
“This attack took place in the heart of Dublin Central and it will cause real fear among Muslims across the area. It bore striking similarity to the ugly violence of racist pogroms led by loyalist paramilitaries and the far right in Belfast earlier this month.
“During the Dublin Central by-election, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he was worried about the next generation of Muslims in Ireland. That kind of rhetoric feeds the atmosphere we are now seeing. It casts Muslims as a threat, as outsiders, as people to be watched or feared. We have to be clear: these ideas come from the top. They are shared by powerful people, by billionaires who profit from division, by far-right figures internationally, and by sections of the political establishment who dress up racism as concern. We stand fully with the Muslim community in Dublin Central. The answer to this attack has to be solidarity, not silence.”
Cllr Reddy added:
“It is also deeply disturbing that this has happened on the same weekend as a racist incident in Poppintree Park in Ballymun, where participants from Sanctuary Runners, who take part in the weekly parkrun were physically assaulted, verbally abused and had false allegations levelled against them.
“These incidents show the urgent need for a more active anti-racist movement: one that puts the blame for the crises in housing, health and public services where it belongs with billionaires, landlords and the establishment, and one that stands shoulder to shoulder with our neighbours to reassure them that they are valued, that they belong and that the far-right will not win.
“At the weekend, Dublin Pride showed the best of this city, tens of thousands of people celebrating in a display that was colourful, defiant and full of solidarity. That is the real character of Dublin. We need to fight to make sure that is the city experienced by everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they believe, or the colour of their skin.
“People Before Profit will be supporting United Against Racism in showing solidarity with the Muslim community and saying clearly: no more. No more racist intimidation. No more Islamophobia. No more attacks on places of worship or homes. We need to defeat this hatred before it does any more damage.”