Theatre Performers subjected to racist abuse in Dublin

Kermit.de.frog

https://twitter.com/BGETheatre/status/1488274763327975428

This is really bad. They've narrowed it down to just racism, which is obviously a big part, but most of us know the problems in Dublin are far, far deeper than that. There are gangs of youths hanging around these areas all the time now abusing or threatening people whether they are foreign or not, nothing ever done.

You can tell these particular incidents are bad when a theatre whose whole business is to attract visitors to the city center to their theatre is having to tweet that out.

When are the powers that be going to a grip on the state of the center of the capital city at the moment? It's their own policies that have it the way it is.

They have increased the number of gardai recently but the issues are such that it does not appear, at least from what I see, to have made that much impact. It's made some difference admittedly, there is visibly less delinquents (these are not all teenagers btw, adults as well) in some places in the evening but that's mostly around O'Connell St and around there. And even then how long will that last?

It's all a bit depressing really.

I think you can avoid condoning this type of thing while still saying that it boils down to

"a few people did a **** thing"

Would that be a fair summary of the incident- because i see it making headlines everywhere and, like, is there nothing else happening in the country at all that would be classed as news?

thefallingman

scumbags will always be scumbags and oconnell street is full of scumbags, always has been and likely always will be, which as a Dub is a pity

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564766#Comment_118564766

I think the issue is it's emblematic of the problems in the city at the moment that are seriously visible particularly since COVID.

is_that_so

Regrettably it is not at all surprising given the location of the theatre. Some of the local "youths" were involved with the carry on when pubs opened outside last year. Sociopathy is a feature of some teens.

frosty123

So much for the "friendly Irish" can we kick that saying into touch once and for all, it's a tourist spun myth.

Ottoman_1000

I love to see the anti social behaviour address but I despair noting will ever be done. The fact these incidents never make it to main stream media means politicians don't face question on it so it all just gets swept under the carpet! I work with a Brazilian guy and we were out for pints one night and he told me he had to explain to his sister that was over visiting him that the Red Luas line was more dangerous that the route she would take home from a night out in Rio! I had to laugh....

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566241#Comment_118566241

Not at all. The average Irish person is friendly.

Parts of D1, D2, D7 and D8 can be very rough though. Unfortunate that an acclaimed group of international black actors ran into a gang of scobies.

TomTomTim

Jesus. I was going to make a joke about giving NGOs more money to fix the problem, but they already did that. Money can't fix racism for **** sake.

Dyr

I hear Dublin is now worse than Chicago for racism towards actors

Patrick2010

Used to work in the area and there’s a high number of young scumbags who would enjoy picking on anyone they see as different, calling this a racist attack is ridiculous, they’d do the same to those they view as posh.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566883#Comment_118566883

Where are they mostly from? That area long redeveloped.

Patrick2010

Flats in Pearse street are still there and only around the corner, didn’t see much regeneration there.

McDermotX

I must admit, when I sort of first saw the headline, I'd imagined a situation where the abuse was coming from the audience which seemed ridiculously absurd.......I mean why else would the theatrical angle be highlighted ?

Looks like scumbags scumbagging. It's really not news to anyone living in the real world.

Working class heroes

Jesus the hypocrisy in this thread is startling.

A group of Irish youths dishing out racist and homophobic abuse is just one of those things, lads will be lads and all that.

I can imagine your reaction if it was a group of travellers or immigrants dishing out abuse to “ordinary folk.” Yis Would all be frothing at your collective mouths.

elperello

Disgraceful carry on.

I'm sure the words used made it clear what the motive was.

Racism is not necessarily absent because they might attack people of the same race as themselves on another occasion.

shesty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566917#Comment_118566917

I parked on Hanover St East on Sunday to go to the show -it's redeveloped but there are still old blocks of flats there, corporation owned (or whoever owns them these days).It's a rough enough area still.Those new buildings just give it an appearance of being less rough.I still wouldn't be mad about walking through the area at night.

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566883#Comment_118566883

I'd echo this, if you were fat, walked with a limp, walked in a camp manner, were a male with long hair, were very tall, were very small these lads would abuse you. If you walked down the area in the same attire and look as them they would most likely rob you.

TheValeyard

Disgraceful carry on. But I'd doubt it's was for racial reasons. Those scrotes probably dont even understand any racial ideologies.

If it been a group of IT workers passing by, it be them, group of builders it be them, group of politicians, it be them, white, black, traveller, French, German, Kerry, Donegal, North side, South Side, college student, etc, etc no matter who passed by them, you were going to get abused.

Why? Because Dublin is has a small minority of absolute scumbag teens who have grown up completely immune to anything the Gardai or legal system has thrown at them. They have been emboldened by the last few years. The fear and respect nothing. I'm glad this got called out, maybe force some change, but I doubt it. We all know Dublin has become particularly menacing as of late.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567063#Comment_118567063

They may shout racist abuse at foreign looking people but we all know you don't have to be foreign. Scumbag problem more than racism problem imo. The racism is just incidental. They'd use the most abusive language whatever the difference was as others have said.

TomTomTim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567057#Comment_118567057

Not one post here reflects anything you've said, it might as well have been an hallucination. Nearly every posts is saying scum will be scum, which is nothing like boys will be boys. Dublin's underclass are one of the biggest problem groups in the nation, the initial poster made their whole post pretty much surrounding that.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567132#Comment_118567132

Of course you are right that there is an overall "scumbag problem".

However if a person is a having clearly racist language used at them there is nothing incidental about it.

Plain and simple they are a victim of racism.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567057#Comment_118567057

Can you quote a post in here that said anything like that?

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567179#Comment_118567179

It's racist language but these lads are looking for a scrap. That's the goal for whatever demented reason. It's not first and foremost about racism in my view, that's just the bait. The bait changes based on the difference. Sure, you don't have to be different to get a dig or hopped on.

Fr Tod Umptious

So let me get this straight.

If someone is calling a black person the n word it's not racist abuse because that person is a scumbag anyway and they are just looking for a fight.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567329#Comment_118567329

No.

If the motivation for using a racial slur is to get a reaction, and if the person would use any incendiary insult to any person, regardless of their colour, it's a bit redundant to call it a racist attack.

If the person was obviously gay or feminine, he would get a homophobic slur shouted at them.

If the person was of short stature, they would be called an insulting slur based on that

If the person had a big nose, they would be insulted over that.

It's disgusting behaviour, but judging events from that area, and the large number of people who get abused for any reason, while the abuse was undoubtedly racist by its very nature, I have my doubts that the motivation was racist and that any other ethnicity wouldn't have come under the same abuse by feral little **** looking to provoke a reaction.

I'd say a lot of posters have never set foot in GCS. It's lovely during the summer at weekends. It's a complete knack magnet after hours. Comes down to policing, as always.

Working class heroes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567422#Comment_118567422

Jaysus, you must be dizzy after posting that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567498#Comment_118567498

Hopefully.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567516#Comment_118567516

I know you probably thought that sounded clever than it came across.

I, as much as any other right thinking person, absolutely condemn racist abuse. That should go without saying.

In this situation, judging by the area, and the incidents I have witnessed, I have every reason to believe that the people who shouted racist abuse, would have shouted at anyone they could insult.

Now sure, they could just have been a local KKK brigade who specifically targeted these performers due to their ethnicity but more likely they were the types of little **** who would shout abuse at anyone.

Regardless, it should be absolutely condemned and those little fuckers were completely wrong but it is the sad reality that little scumbags will be little scumbags.

Your last post made it out that anyone who disagrees that this was purely racial hate motivated and not just opportunistic little dickheads using racism as a way of provoking a reaction, is some sort of racist themselves.

That's usually the tactic.

Rothko

Some people willingly missing the point and trying to twist the words of others. No surprise really but still disgusting.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566917#Comment_118566917

Social housing in the midst of all them lovely apartments. Little entitled Canada goose clad pricks. Learned attitudes from parents who don't really have an interest in being meaningful contributors.

Before someone jumps it's not an attack on social housing recipients. Dublin City just seems to have a huge number of toerags emerging from this demographic.

All these incidents are happening in an incredibly small area that you can walk in minutes. Last year there was a deliveroo cyclist killed by joyriders and a woman stabbed to death for no reason.

I live and work here, it's a menacing menacing feeling. Even here last night in D4 3 cars went up in flames and very nearly a house only for DFB. Looks like random arson attack.

I've exchanged plenty of words, they walk into shops take what they like, insult women out walking, attack foreigners for no reason. Nothing but parasites. Guards do not seem motivated to do enough.

Billy Mays

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567564#Comment_118567564

Hopefully.

justask@bgetheatre.ie

There's the BGE theatre's email address. Sure fire them off an email and ask them to pass on your thoughts on the incident 👍🏻

Dyr

I like how everyone is convinced that it was the indigenous feral population who were at this when that area is one of the most wonderfully diverse parts of Dublin 😂

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567739#Comment_118567739

It's a feral segment of the indigenous population in the area causing the problems. Only foreigners there are working in professional roles due to the crazy rental prices.

elperello

One thing is certain.

When the talented young people from Lion King head out to the airport next week end at the end of their run we will be left with the racist scumbags or scumbag racists or whatever you want to call them.

Our problem, we need to own it and sort it.

Sand

Who is we?

Working class heroes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567564#Comment_118567564

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567564#Comment_118567564

I’ve no idea what you are talking about with the “usual tactic” comment. An attempt-to pigeon hole anyone who disagrees with you, maybe?

Anyway this post is just another example of attempting to defend the indefensible.

As an aside it must be said that this place is really a cesspit of hate, bigotry and racist vile and is been facilitated as such.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567964#Comment_118567964

You said that posters on this thread were just writing this off as "lads being lads" and making very little of it. Can you quote any posts here to support this? Thanks.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567964#Comment_118567964

I mean it's a usual tactic from people who purposely attempt to frame others as racist if they disagree with them.

And again, not once did I even hint that I was defending any racist behaviour. That again, is trying to attribute racism to me when I clearly have not said anything remotely racist or anything in support of, or defending, racist behaviour.

But having said that, it does explain why you think this place is full of hate, bigotry and racism.

It didn't take you long to barrel into the conversation and inject some strawmen of immigrants and travellers.

MarkEadie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567964#Comment_118567964

Good post. This place certainly has become a cesspit as you say. Sad to see.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567964#Comment_118567964

I’ve no idea what you are talking about with the “usual tactic” comment. An attempt-to pigeon hole anyone who disagrees with you, maybe?

Yes that’s the tactic. Confession through projection?

Working class heroes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568079#Comment_118568079

If you say so......

JupiterKid

This thread is a perfect example of why most balanced, intelligent, measured and informed posters on boards pretty much avoid the Current Affairs forum these days - as others opined (and I did earlier but someone here mustn’t have liked my post and to hear the truth) this place is just a cesspit of hatred and bigotry.

The abuse of these actors by those feral teens was racist, pure and simple. But keep looking at other reasons to justify your bigotry and minimise this clear case of racist abuse.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568165#Comment_118568165

Are you reading the same thread as me? Can you quote any posts that show racism or bigotry. Not one poster here has justified the abuse at all. None.

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568190#Comment_118568190

Plenty of posts are trying to play down the racism part of the story. Boys will be boys, scumbags will be scumbags. Trying to pretend that it wasn't racism, is racist in itself. It is typical boards nonsense.

Ha Long Bay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568190#Comment_118568190

Maybe not justifying it but definitely trying to play it down.

This is aul attention seeking shite … someone got insulted by riff raff and it’s all racism now …look at Disney and an bored Gaia standing up for them… blah blah blah… it’s just cheap advertising for the show in the theater … in regards to Disney … renowned as one of the most historically racist companies in the planet … some neck on them to be pointing the racist finger now

John Doe1

Disgusting. We need to have a year of national service in the year after secondary school to instill some discipline in this underclass of society.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568218#Comment_118568218

No one has said it wasn't racism.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568165#Comment_118568165

No one said it wasn't.

Racism is not the only issue here. It's the secondary issue for a lot of people. The primary issue is little thugs being able to run amok in the city center who would attack anyone for any reason at all.

That's the point posters are making. Not that it wasn't racist.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568227#Comment_118568227

I definitely don't agree with that poster but I'm not sure if they're saying it wasn't racist.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568218#Comment_118568218

I just don't get this attitude.

Why is randomly abusing someone because of their race any different or superior to abusing them because of their weight, height, religion, fashion, or just look?

The people who engage in this type of behaviour are just scum, they don't have the brain cells to have an understanding of what being racist actually is.