GARDAI IN SOUTH Dublin have identified a number of teenagers they believe were part of a gang which assaulted a young Muslim teenager in Dundrum on Sunday afternoon.
Gardaí appealed for witnesses after the Muslim teenager was egged, physically assaulted and allegedly had her hijab removed.
A video was shared online showing the young woman being attacked. At one point, the victim is forced to the ground and is kicked.
The teenager was also hit with a number of eggs.
Gardaí have received the initial video as well as CCTV from a local convenience store which the group had entered minutes prior to the attack.
There were reports of a number of other anti-social incidents locally in the run-up to the assault and gardaí are also investigating reports of thefts from the area.
Officers investigating the crime, at this point, say there is nothing to suggest that this was a hate crime or that the attack was racially motivated. It is understood that the main line of investigation was that this was a random attack against the teenage girl.
However, the incident has been condemned as a hate crime by local Fine Gael TD and culture minister Josepha Madigan.
A man working in a convenience store nearby said he was he was racially abused by the gang of youths moments before they launched their attack on the young girl.
CCTV has been taken from that shop on the the main street in Dundrum village as well as from other local businesses.
Officers have asked the public and the media to refrain from sharing the original video showing the attack as it is central to the investigation.
A garda spokesman said: “Investigating Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information or/and anyone with mobile phone footage/dash cam footage to contact Dundrum Garda Station on 01 666 5600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any garda station.
“The investigation will determine the motive behind these incidents; at this time the incidents are not believed to be racially motivated, investigations are continuing.”
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