An Indian man in his 40s was violently attacked in Tallaght, a suburb of Dublin, on the evening of July 19. The victim, who arrived in Ireland just a week prior, sustained injuries including facial cuts and wounds on his arms and legs. The attackers also forcibly removed his trousers before bystanders intervened.
According to Irish police (Garda), the assailants falsely accused the man of inappropriate behavior near children—accusations that were further spread online by certain far-right and anti-immigration groups. Garda has denied the validity of those claims and has launched a criminal investigation, treating the incident as a possible hate-motivated crime.
The victim was transported to Tallaght University Hospital and discharged on July 20 after receiving treatment. Garda confirmed no prior complaints or known motive and are treating the assault as unprovoked.
One emotional eyewitness reported seeing a group—including minors—surrounding and assaulting the victim in broad daylight. The group allegedly stole his phone, bank cards, shoes, and clothing. She described the man as “covered in blood from head to toe” and added that the community has seen other such unprovoked attacks on foreign nationals recently.
In response to the incident, Indian Ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra criticized coverage that used the qualifier “alleged assault,” calling it insensitive. The ambassador extended gratitude to Garda and the Irish public for their support and urged swift justice.
Meanwhile, Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan reiterated that immigrant populations are not statistically more prone to criminal behavior and warned against scapegoating minorities based on isolated incidents.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are collecting evidence and tracking suspects involved in the attack as part of hate crime proceedings.