Big Issue vendor attacked

dublin | miscellaneous | news report

Friday July 14, 2006 19:57

by .

Big Issue vendor attacked while surburbia looks on

Earlier this evening, needing to make a post to Indy i stopped at a video store which has internet access.The usuall Big Issue vendor was sitting outside , we greeted each other as normal. I had been on the machine only moments when a could hear screaming and calls for help, i ran outside to find the vendor under attack,she had recieved punches her head and was kicked .Her stool pulled out from under her .She was still screaming for help.I shouted into the shop to call the cops and stood infront of her to prevent prevent futher assaults.The attacker was Irish and somehow thought i might approve of the attack as the victim as Romainian.Wwhile in this situation i was struck by the amount of observers who had been present but did not attempt to assist . The cops arrived and one woman came forward as a witness .

The ladie sat down on her stoll to recover and i asked if she would wish this incident to be published and she was keen to do so.

Comments (3 of 3)

I hope she is OK

by Chris Murray - The Unmanageables

Fri Jul 14, 2006 22:20

I witnessed the aftermath of a racist attack on a Moslem owned call to go centre
soon after the Saint Patricks Cathedral Hunger and thirst strike.

People walked to work, the glass had been bashed in with a heavy implement. It was the third
such attack. The guys did not want photographs and said that the gardai could do nothing,
even though there was a garda inter-cultural poster on the window.

People seem to feel that it is not their responsibility to intervene and that is saddening.
A friends child was struck down with bad stomach pain on Grafton street and asked for help, no-one stopped. she had to call her dad by mobile and be taken to hospital.

The fact is that you did right by trying to help and asking her if she wanted it reported.
At St pats I witnessed a woman being assaulted and the line of Gardai stood and watched, only intervention by protestors and the threat of a formal complaint made them second a cop to
that vicious scene.

Has this attack been reported?

by Rashers

Fri Jul 14, 2006 23:58

It may seem futile from the point of justice for this attack and others like it to be reported if there appears to be no chance of prosecution, but the Gardai are now supposedly recording racist attacks for statistical purposes. Failure to report allows Michael Mc Dowell and senior Civil Servants in the Department of Justice etc. to deny that racism is an issue in Ireland today.
No reports equates with no attacks.

Re:Has this attack been reported?

Sat Jul 15, 2006 16:54

The cops arrived and took attacker away .I was interested in calling the staion (which would be Blackrock ,Dublin) to check if they have pressed charges,as they should, but have been travelling and not done so as yet.When i`m back in Dublin i will visit the station with the lady involved and make enquiries and post it here.
(Sorry about the text in report i was still shaking)