GARDAÍ ARE investigating after a Roma family were allegedly subject to a torrent of racial abuse on board a Dublin bus.
University College Dublin lecturer Dr Mary McAuliffe drew attention to the alleged incident on Twitter, where she contacted the official Dublin Bus account and detailed the 'horrendous incident' which occurred on the 8.45am 46a bus from Phoenix Park into the city centre.
"Just got involved in a horrendous incident on the bus," Dr McAuliffe wrote.
"Two white Irish racist gobshites launched a vicious attack on a Roma family (mostly kids.) Only the bus driver & myself stood up to them, every other person in the bus stared at their feet as the men threatened to attack the family."
"Not only were the Roma kids terrified, so too were several kids of colour on the way to school with the Mums."
"This is Ireland," Dr McAuliffe wrote. "A morning dose of violent racism on the 46a bus".
She continued on to describe how the Roma children got up and left the bus, and as one young girl smiled and said thank you for standing up for her it made Dr McAuliffe think of the "racist [gobshites] in this country who wipe the beautiful smiles [off] those children's faces, probably every day".
Dr McAuliffe said she had also been threatened by the men, who warned her that they know where she lives, and she admitted that she would probably "spend the day thinking if that racist man does know where I live" as "he looked vaguely familiar".
Dublin Bus confirmed they had reported the incident to the route inspector and would be co-operating fully with An Garda Síochána, including providing CCTV footage of the incident.
Anyone who witnesses race discrimination on Dublin Bus is encouraged to report it by contacting Dublin Bus directly or by emailing [email protected]
