'I’m so sorry for what you’re...': Irish citizens speak out as Indians face 'blatant racism'

As reports of verbal and physical attacks against Indian immigrants in Ireland continue to surface, a deeply emotional Reddit post by an Irish user has gone viral, sparking a wave of solidarity, sorrow, and outrage among both Indian and Irish voices online.

Posted to the subreddit r/IndiansinIreland, the message was titled “On behalf of the scrotes of Ireland harassing you, I am so sorry.” It struck a chord for its sincerity and unapologetic condemnation of racist behaviour.

“I'm baffled, ashamed and so disappointed in this entire situation,” the Irish poster wrote. “I know a lot of Indian people—99 percent are absolutely lovely… You are all lovely people and I love your culture, and the diversity you bring to this country… I pray for you all and anything I can do to help to stand against this blatant racism, I will.”

The post quickly drew responses from both Indian immigrants and Irish citizens, many of whom described a growing sense of unease as incidents of abuse, especially targeting Indian and other immigrant communities, have increased in visibility.

One Indian user, who has been living in Dublin for two years, shared the emotional toll, “Today, I came back from work crying because I kept reading so many news articles about another immigrant attacked for no fault of theirs… I saw the disgusted looks a bunch of teenagers threw my way today and I told myself that I’m just lucky it’s not my time yet… I also feel bad for the countless Irish people who have been so lovely and kind in my 2 years here!”

Another Irish user recalled organising a Bollywood Night with Indian friends in Donegal and later attending a Diwali celebration in Letterkenny, “Now my friends’ kids, who were born in Ireland, are getting called racist slurs and told to go ‘back to your own country’… I am ashamed of Irish people who treat you like this.”

The thread drew multiple messages acknowledging the contributions of Indian immigrants, especially in healthcare and education, and the deep dismay felt by many Irish citizens witnessing the recent rise in xenophobic rhetoric.

“Indian people who emigrate to this country are ultimately better citizens, better educated, more economically productive, less likely to commit crimes,” said one commenter. “It shouldn’t surprise to find one clashes against the other.”

Another added bluntly, “I've never met an Indian person here in Ireland who wasn't hard-working, law-abiding, and decent. It's an outrage that Indian people should be targeted for abuse.”

As the comments continued to flow, the thread became a rare space where grief, anger, and empathy converged. While many immigrants expressed fear and frustration, they also acknowledged the warmth they’ve received from Irish neighbours and colleagues, and the importance of speaking out.

The original poster ended with a promise, “I am so ready to protest and fight against this with you guys. You have my support.”