World of Politics with Harry McGee

There is an ugly face to political protest in Ireland these days that was not evident pre-Covid, because there is not a week that goes by without some morons posting on X the abuse and violent language they hurled at a political candidate.

Two weeks ago, canvassers of a Limerick local election candidate, Suzzi O’Denniyi, were subjected to a barrage of racist, sexual and misogynistic abuse from a man in North Limerick.

The canvassers, who had come down from Galway, were “highly traumatised” by the incident.

The video is just shocking. Afterwards, Ms ODenniyi, who is standing for Fianna Fáil, said: “I’m very disheartened by it. I’m highly upset by it. I have deep concern for my canvassers. They are highly traumatised and there is a level of fear there at the moment.”

She said that that fear was heightened by the fact the video had gone viral and had elicited so many comments on social media.

Because of what happened, her team has taken extra precaution this week in terms of safety measures and there is a briefing before each canvass, telling teams to call 911 if they encounter danger.

The canvassers were targeted because two of them were black and were supporting a candidate who was black.

Ms O’Deniyi’s parents are from Nigeria, and she moved to Limerick when she was five and attended primary and secondary school there.

They were not the only ones to be subject to such disgraceful abuse. A Green Party councillor in Dublin’s North Inner City, Janet Horner, was also the victim of vile abuse.

“We don’t want your Green Party shitee around here; Dublin 1 is for the far right,” was among the taunts roared at her by a man who confronted her campaign team on the canvas.

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