Ireland: A 6-year-old girl of Indian origin was racially attacked by a group of boys while playing outside her home in Waterford city Monday evening, according to her family.
The incident occurred August 4, when several boys allegedly surrounded the girl and assaulted her while shouting, “Go back to India.” Reports also said they punched her several times in the face and struck her private parts with a bicycle.
The girl’s mother, who had briefly gone inside to feed her 10-month-old son, said she had been watching her daughter from the doorway. However, when the baby began crying, she stepped inside for a minute. Moments later, her daughter returned home in tears and was unable to speak.
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Later, one of the girl’s friends revealed that five boys, aged between 12 and 14, had attacked her. An 8-year-old girl was also reportedly part of the group. The attackers allegedly used racial slurs, calling the girl a “dirty Indian,” the mother told The Irish Mirror.
A nurse by profession and a recent Irish citizen, the mother has lived in Ireland for eight years. The family moved to the Kilbarry area of Waterford in January.
The attack has raised concerns about the safety of the Indian community in Ireland.
Last month, a 40-year-old Indian man was beaten and stripped naked in public by a group of teenagers in a Dublin suburb.
In response, the Indian Embassy in Ireland said: “Regarding the recent incident of physical attack on an Indian national that happened in Tallaght, Dublin, the Embassy is in touch with the victim and his family. All the requisite assistance is being offered. The Embassy is also in touch with the relevant Irish authorities in this regard.”