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Journalism student Simran Kathuria from India had to shelter with friends for 14 hours as they were too afraid to venture out on the streets amid violent protests.
ADVERTISEMENTBeing an immigrant in Ireland was a perilous experience on Thursday night as the city of Dublin was set ablaze by men in black masks.
Anti-immigrant protestors gathered in mass numbers in the heart of Dublin City causing havoc, and it became a nightmare for residents and non-natives alike.
Shops were looted, stores vandalised, police vehicles attacked and burned, public transport ruined to ashes, hotel rooms and immigrant settlements set on fire – all in the span of one evening.
On this one night, being an immigrant in Dublin felt life threatening.
The rampage swept across the Irish capital – and the scenes of destruction were shared widely on social media, too.
Many people hurried home early, while many got stuck, like me, with a group of friends. We were stuck for 14 hours.
Standing at a bustling shopping district near the riot zone we ran to the first safe spot, a nearby friend’s house, and took shelter for the night.
The roads had been blocked, barricades were in place, a police helicopter was hovering in the sky and riot police were standing with batons and shields as we rushed to safety.
We were hardly a kilometre away from the unrest and feared attacks after hearing countless police sirens.
Social media kept us abreast of the situation outside. Twitter was flooded with hashtags of ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Ireland is Full’, ‘Dublin riots’, and ‘Far-Right’. Supporters of both sides, left and right, started their war of words online.
“Come out people, take Dublin, fight for your country”, tweeted one Irish citizen. Meanwhile, another wrote: “It’s disgusting and I honestly, don’t think it was really about anti-immigration, but those thugs were just looking for an excuse to steal, harm, and cause damage”.
The reason for the riots was said to be anger over the Irish government’s immigration policies.
According to angry protestors, Ireland has opened its doors to foreign nationals with no checks and restrictions. This has, they say, made the country unsafe.
Ireland is traditionally known for its warmth and hospitality to foreigners.
Dublin is a vibrant city accounting for 17% of non-Irish citizens from at least ten different nationalities. The city typically embraces multiculturalism and diversity and you can often hear foreign languages being spoken on the street.
The changing demographics in recent years have attracted immigrants from all across the globe – pushing Ireland’s economy.
But after the incidents from Thursday night, foreigners willing to settle in Ireland and make a living may well now have an additional safety factor to consider.
Twenty-six year old Simran Kathuria is originally from New Delhi, India. She moved to Ireland in 2022 to complete a masters degree in journalism, and now works in Ireland as a freelance writer.
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