Irish president condemns 'despicable attacks' on Indian community

Michael D Higgins says there should be a "deep sense of gratitude" towards the Indian community in Ireland

Irish president Michael D Higgins has condemned the "despicable attacks" on members of the Indian community in the Republic of Ireland in recent weeks.

Last week, the Indian Embassy in Dublin advised its citizens in Ireland to take "reasonable precautions for their personal security" and to "avoid deserted areas" following what it said was an increase in physical attacks.

Higgins said the attacks are in "stark contradiction to the values that we as people hold dear".

"That any person in Ireland, particularly any young person, should be drawn into such behaviour through manipulation or provocation is to be unequivocally condemned," he said.

'Such acts diminish all of us'

The president of Ireland added that "such acts diminish all of us and obscure the immeasurable benefits the people of India have brought to the life of this country".

He added that there should be a "deep sense of gratitude" towards the Indian community for the "immense contribution" they have made in the country.

"Their presence, their work, their culture, have been a source of enrichment and generosity to our shared life," he added.

Ireland has been "shaped by migration, both outward and inward" over the years, he said.

"Those who left our shores carried our culture and values into faraway lands, often depending on the generosity of strangers.

"That shared human experience should remain at the heart of how we treat those who have come to make their lives here.

"To forget that is to lose a part of ourselves."

On Monday, the Ireland India Council announced that it was postponing this year's India Day celebration at Farmleigh in Dublin on Sunday over safety concerns.