An African Election Candidate in Galway - Torn Down Posters - Abusive Phonecalls - A Racist Website

galway | politics / elections | feature Friday June 04, 2004 19:51 by John Cunningham - Tokie Laotan campaign johnliamsheain at eircom dot net

'I do wonder, however, if the racists who run websites, who make disgusting intimidating phone calls, who will not accept my right to have my election posters displayed publicly, are gaining encouragement from the government’s decision to run a racist referendum in conjunction with these elections'

Tokie Laotan, an independent candidate for the North / East ward in Galway city, has been facing harassment on the election trail. She has been receiving abusive anonymous phone calls to her mobile phone, she has been targeted by a racist website, and now her posters are being removed –-apparently in a systematic fashion.

‘I was reluctant to raise this publicly’, says Tokie Laotan, ‘because almost all of the Galway people I have met on my campaign have been friendly and open to what I have to say. Clearly, however, there are individuals who think that an African woman should not be allowed to even stand for election. All this harassment is making me nervous, and making it difficult for me to campaign effectively’.

‘The phone calls stopped after a few days, when I started to tell the callers that I was having their numbers traced’, according to Ms Laotan. ‘The website is still up and spreading its message of hate against me and other immigrants to Ireland —can it be closed down, I wonder?'

‘The final straw was when I learned that two-thirds of my posters were removed within 36 hours of being put up. I realise that posters can be brought down by the wind, and by the odd stray drunk, but this was done systematically, with posters taken from every pole on several routes —College Road and Augustine-street for example.’

‘I know that the racists who do this are a tiny minority, and that they have little support among Galway people and Irish people generally. I do wonder, however, if the racists who run websites, who make disgusting intimidating phone calls, who will not accept my right to have my election posters displayed publicly, are gaining encouragement from the government’s decision to run a racist referendum in conjunction with these elections'.

Related Links and Stories on Immigrants, Elections and McDowell's Referendum
Audio Report on Campaign against the Racist Referendum Meeting - June 4th 2004
Voting Rights for Immigrants in Ireland Under Threat - April 11th 2004 Report
All Children are Equal But if Michael has his Way - Some Will be More Equal than Others - April 6th 2004 Report
The Chen Case @ the European Court of Justice – Money Talks and a Government Lies - May 24 2004 Report