A Facebook group which was set up to protest against a direct provision centre has been reported to the gardaí for racism. The group, Tullamore Says No to Inhumane Direct Provision, was set up after it was announced that the government plans to house asylum seekers in a former hostel in the town.
It is one of a number of similar groups that have been created in recent months.
The public group contains posts accusing asylum seekers of being economic migrants and of being linked to crime. And in one case there is a call for anti-fascist and anti-racism activists to be “hunted”.
“Incitement to hate”
Speaking on Midlands 103 radio station a resident of Tullamore, Lorraine Dormer, revealed that she reported the comments on the group to the gardaí. She said almost all of the comments in the group are “incitement to hate”.
Dormer told the station that members of the group are from around Ireland and are “well-known for agitating” against asylum seekers being placed in Irish towns and villages. She also accused them of having “no regard for anyone, refugees or local people”.
Hunt activists
Some of the commenters in the group have written that the asylum seekers due to arrive in Tullamore are economic migrants. Others have tried to link them to increases in crime in other countries when they arrived there.
One commenter argued that anti-fascist and anti-racist activists should be hunted. They wrote:
Time the hunted became the hunter????
This same user went on to declare that they must “set an example” because “we don’t have an option”.
Another person promoted the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory that the asylum seekers are part of plan to replace the white, Catholic population of Ireland.
The group is due to hold a protest in Tullamore later today.
Featured image via myhome.ie
