Updated 19:45
GARDAÍ WERE CALLED to a public order incident on Manor Street, Waterford yesterday evening.
It’s understood that a large group of people were involved in the incident- which has been condemned by Labour TD Ciara Conway.
The Waterford TD said, “The so called protest and event which took place yesterday in Waterford against a family was despicable and dangerous.”
Waterford radio station, Beat 102-103, reported that 200 people gathered and that it was “city residents concerned about an increasing number of attacks and muggings in Waterford.”
One man in his late 20s was arrested but was later released without charge.
The event has been widely discussed on social media with children’s law and disability rights solicitor, Gareth Noble, posting this:
Traveller support group, Pavee Point, lodged an official complaint to get a Facebook page based in Waterford taken down.
The ‘Get Them Out Of Town’ page demanded the removal of Roma people from the town.
Earlier this month the page posted, “Maybe a small protest on Manor Street might get the attention of the gardaí.”
Pavee Point said, “There is a clear link between online hate speech and hate crime”.
It’s Roma Project Coordinator, Siobhan Curran, added that: “Anti-Roma racism does not occur in a vacuum and we now need strong public and political leaders to be visible, vocal and openly condemn anti-Roma actions in Waterford.
At a national level a progressive national strategy to support Roma inclusion in Ireland needs to be developed as a matter of urgency
Ciara Conway told TheJournal.ie, “I happened to be passing by at 7pm last night and there were scenes of a baying crowd and broken glass on the street .
“Only feet away from our Ancient city walls this is something that should not be tolerated and was frightening to see.
I condemn this kind of action in the strongest possible terms. Mob rule of this kind has no place in our Republic.
Gardaí say a file is now being prepared for the DPP.
Originally published 2:22pm.
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