17 August 2000

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Gerry Adams calls on party leaders to unite against racism after son of stabbing victim flees Dublin

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP has called on party leaders throughout Ireland to make a public declaration against racism. Mr Adams was speaking after a man whose father almost died in a racist stabbing fled Dublin this week after being chased by racists.

Christian Richardson (24) returned to his home in Bristol, England, on Wednesday night just hours after being chased by a racist gang on Dublin's North Strand. Christian's father, David, almost died after a knife attack in Dublin in June as he tried to protect his Jamaican-born wife, Laverne, >from a gang near Dublin City Centre. Mr Adams said:

``This is a very serious case with tragic consequences that has justly received extensive media coverage - but it is the tip of the iceberg of racist abuse and violence that asylum seekers, refugees and non-white visitors and Irish citizens are increasingly facing, day in and day out.''

Mr Adams urged the media to exercise responsibility in their coverage of refugees and he called on the leaders of all the political parties to make a public stand against racism in Ireland.

``It is up to political leaders to make it clear that they will not play party politics with the race issue and that they will not tolerate racism in any form in their party or in Irish society.''

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