A section of Parnell Street in Dublin was cordoned off by gardai last night after one of the most serious clashes between white and black people in the area. An African-owned shop suffered damage. Women and children in the shop narrowly missed injury when a glass door was smashed.
Gardai questioned a number of people but no arrests were made. A Garda sergeant said the aim had been to contain the problem and prevent violence escalating.
According to local resident Ms Leah Doherty the trouble began around 10 p.m. "A man in a blue shirt began shouting racist remarks at a black man sitting in a car. A minor scuffle took place.
"The white guy went into the Blue Lion pub across the street and came out with two or three others and began hurling bottles and glasses at the Infinity Ventures shop. Then bottles and glasses were being hurled from both sides of the street."
The group outside the shop retreated inside and locked the door. "More people came from the Blue Lion, at least two of them with pool cues. They smashed in the door of Infinity Ventures, went inside and smashed up the shop and assaulted Ms Destiny Warrior, who was working there. Her jewellery was torn off, her arms were twisted and she was shoved around."
Ms Doherty's comments were corroborated by Ms Corryena Keogh, Ms Caroline Flynn and the owner of the shop, Mr Kola, who added that, after the shop was "smashed up" the "10 or so white men ran into the Blue Lion and the shutters of the pub were pulled down".
After the Blue Lion was closed at the request of the Garda, Mr Jimmy Murphy of Gardiner Street said: "This is wrong. We're being put out of our local because of them. We've been born and reared here. It's wrong, pathetically wrong."