GARDAÍ HAVE CONFIRMED they are investigating an “alleged racially-motivated incident” after a video shared online showed a student being verbally abused at the NUI Galway campus. 

A video from a fortnight ago showed a man repeatedly calling the woman the N-word in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack. 

The woman is repeatedly told to “go back to her own country” despite telling the man that she was born and raised in Ireland. 

Gardaí had previously said they were “carrying out enquiries” but it has now been confirmed that they are “investigating a report of an alleged racially motivated incident which occurred on the 13 August 2020 in Galway city centre”. 

The force has also encouraged people to report hate crimes instead of sharing incidents online. 

In a statement to TheJournal.ie, An Garda Síochána said: 

“An Garda Síochána takes hate crime seriously, and each and every hate crime reported to us is professionally investigated and victims supported during the criminal justice process. ”

The Garda Diversity and Integration Strategy 2019 – 2021 has a significant focus on enhancing the identification, reporting, investigation and prosecution of hate crimes and An Garda Síochána is taking actions to improve internal recording and encourage more reporting by the public. 

“An Garda Síochána would encourage anyone who feels they have been the victim of a hate crime to report the matter directly to An Garda Síochána and not to third parties or on social media.”

In a statement released after the video was shared widely, NUI Galway said: “Respect and openness are our core values, we find any incidence of racism abhorrent. Black Lives Matter.”

With reporting by Gráinne Ní Aodha