Drimnagh vigil for Pawel Kalite and Marius Szwajkos

dublin | crime and justice | feature Sunday March 02, 2008 14:51 by 1 of indymedia

From the Newswire: An original first-hand report of a solidarity vigil that took place on Saturday 1st in Drimnagh to commemorate the deaths of two Polish men who were attacked and killed the previous Saturday.

It has been noted that this is just one of the most recent and most tragic examples of anti-Polish racism. Other commentators have pointed out such aggression is often directed towards anyone who is different and that it's not just nationality or difference in race that motivates such violence. All agree that such aggression should not be tolerated.

Related Links: Event Notice for the Vigil — Attacks on Polish in Finglas (Oct ’06)

Despite the wind and rain, up to 1500 people took part in a vigil at the spot where Kalite and Szwajkos were attacked last Saturday, an assault which led to their deaths.

A large contingent of Poles resident in Dublin joined local people in tonight's vigil, which centred on a few moment's silence and a decade of the rosary.

The vigil was conducted by the local PP who introduced a colleague who worked with the Polish community in Dublin. The latter thanked the local people for their attendance and said a short prayer in Polish.

The silence was diluted by an alarm in the near distance, a typical Dublin Saturday night background noise and by several unusual mobile phone ring tones, which turned out to be Polish pop tunes.

Despite a denial last week that the murders were racially motivated, this local has been aware of an increase in racial assaults and intimidation since last summer. Barely an hour after the Garda sub-aqua unit packed up their kit at the bottom of Benbulben Road on Monday, a Polish family had the windows of their car smashed in immediately adjacent on the Inchicore side. This is the 7th attack on this family since Christmas. On Wednesday evening a Polish couple were attacked walking along the canal by a group of 5 or 6 kids, 'some hardly 15'. They were called 'Polish c---s'.

How are kids so young able to articulate a hatred sufficient to carry out such actions? What will they be like in 10 years time?

We hope what is happening here in this part of Dublin will be recognised for what it is; why is official Ireland still unable or unwilling to recognise racism?