Enoch Burke’s continious protests have received much attention – but what effect is this having on the students of Wilson’s Hospital School?

Jonatan Safiak, a fifteen-year-old student who attends the Westmeath school was quoted in the Irish Independent saying that these protests make him feel scared and unsafe.

His mother, Aneta Safiak, told Lunchtime Live that her son’s learning is disrupted due to the constant activity.

“It’s distressing, it’s a disruption of the normal school life,” she said.

“You know the way when somebody goes behind you and says, ‘Don’t look’, you’re immediately going to look.

“This is the situation - when you have something going on outside the windows, you’re going to look, you’re going to check, you’re going to be aware that it’s there."

Enoch Burke leaving Wilson Hospital School in Co Westmeath, 28-8-23. Image: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie

According to Ms Safiak, the safety of staff and students is often put at risk by those filming these protests.

“The last time the protest was there, in December last year, I could clearly see my son getting on the bus and passing through the gate on a live stream of somebody that calls himself a journalist,” she said.

“So, you know, that’s not okay and that shouldn’t be happening.

“There are teachers, there are additional staff who use their cars – the registation numbers and the cars can be identifiable for people.

“So, I don’t think it should be allowed. I understand there is a right to protest for everyone, but maybe not in such a close proximity to schools and young people."

Death threats

Ms Safiak said she has received a flood of death threats over her son’s article in the Independent.

“I kind of predicted that I might get some mean comments, but I’m currently dealing with all sorts of comments,” she said.

“From being a bad mother that is plastering her son all over social media to death threats – bullets to my head, a deportation order for me – I’m not going to quote all the bad words that I am described with, but it’s pretty bad.

“I am an advocate for my son’s rights and for his disability – however, he’s now 15, and I am aware that there is a very thin line between being Jonathan’s voice and abusing his ability to speak for himself.

“The decision to be in this interview was his... He said what he said and obviously I am blamed for that, but it’s off the scale.

“I actually started being very anxious about being outside with people now, [after] reading all those comments.”

Ms Safiak said she has not yet had the time to report these threats to Gardaí but will be doing so soon.

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Featured image: Enoch Burke leaving Wilson's Hospital School on August 28th 2023. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie