The rise of the far right in Ireland could see someone getting seriously injured or killed, according to People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy.
He was speaking after a group of men reportedly attacked a camp of homeless migrants in Dublin on Saturday.
The Irish Times reports the men arrived at the camp in Ashtown accompanied by dogs and carrying sticks and baseball bats.
Meanwhile, Gardaí are investigating a suspected arson attack on a disused school building on Sherard Street in Dublin last night – amid rumours it was set alight to prevent it being used as refugee accommodation.
The Department of Integration has since confirmed there were no plans to use the building for asylum seekers.
"I think we are on a trajectory for someone being very seriously injured or killed." TD Paul Murphy on the rise of 'racist, divisive and hateful ideas' in this country. pic.twitter.com/J5bQpbWn8Z
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) January 31, 2023
Speaking outside Leinster House this afternoon, Dublin TD Paul Murphy said the situation is becoming “extremely scary”.
“I think we are in a very dangerous situation in this country now with the rise of far-right ideas, the rise of far-right organisation and the spread of very racist, divisive and hateful ideas,” he said.
“I think we are on a trajectory for someone being very seriously injured or killed.
“If you look at what happened at the weekend in terms of Ashtown – an attack on homeless people.
“People who are legally in the country; people in a tent attacked in what can only be understood as a racist assault – and assault on them because of where they are coming from them.
“Last night, allegedly, the burning down of a building that was supposedly going to be used either to house or to educate asylum seekers.
“If you look at what is happening on a nightly basis now in Finglas, whipped up by one far-right agitator in particular, it is extremely scary.”
Far-right
Deputy Murphy said the people most likely to face attack from far-right groups are immigrants.
“Obviously there is a lot of attention on the threats to politicians and so and that is appropriate – but the truth is that the mostly likely person to get seriously hurt or injured or killed here is going to be migrant,” he said.
“Be they an asylum seeker or be they an Irish person of colour who is walking by a racist mob and is set upon.
“That is the trajectory of things.
“If anybody is paying any attention to what is being put out on social media by these far-right activists, that is where we are heading and at a very, very quick speed.”
Leo Varadkar in the Newstalk studio. Image: NewstalkYesterday, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the Ashtown assault had the look and feel of a racist attack.
He also confirmed that the Government now plans to open two more asylum seeker transit hubs after Citywest stopped taking in new arrivals last week.
Meanwhile, figures revealed by Gardaí last night, showed that 64 protests have taken place already this year – compared to 307 in all of last year.
