Artane-Whitehall Election Candidate in Dublin Removes Posters Following Racist Harassment
A local election candidate for Artane-Whitehall in Dublin, Linkwinstar Mattathil Mathew, was compelled to remove his election posters on Friday night after facing harassment, intimidation, and racist abuse. Mathew, a Fine Gael candidate originally from India, was targeted while putting up posters with friends outside a pub in Santry.
The incident was captured on video by the agitators, who can be heard issuing threats and racial slurs. Despite the intimidation, Mathew emphasised that this experience was atypical and did not reflect his overall campaign journey. He expressed gratitude for the support from the local community and fellow politicians.
A Fine Gael spokesperson condemned the incident as a blatant attempt to intimidate a democratic candidate, stating it was unrepresentative of the northside Dublin community. Mathew, a long-time Dublin resident, reiterated his commitment to being an active councillor if elected.
This incident is part of a troubling trend where election candidates, including Arnold Guo, another Fine Gael candidate, and Suzzie O’Deniyi, a Fianna Fáil candidate, have faced harassment and racist abuse. Tánaiste Micheál Martin acknowledged the rising threats against political candidates, particularly those from minority backgrounds, as a significant concern ahead of the elections on June 7.
Irish Samachar English News
{OR} Kindly click to follow the Irish Samachar News channel on WhatsApp
Comments are closed.