Ireland shocked by murder of Polish immigrants
Saturday, 1 March 2008
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The case of two Polish men killed in Dublin last weekend by a gang of teenagers using a screwdriver has generated widespread shock in Ireland, leading to denunciations from the Prime Minister.
The two men, Marius Szwajkos and Pawel Kalite, were both in their twenties and came from southern Poland. They had been in Ireland for less than a year, among up to 100,000 Polish migrants who have arrived in recent years.
Although the full details of the incident have not been established, the authorities are adamant that the killings were not racially motivated. The Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who coincidentally has been on a visit to Poland this week, said it was mindless violence and "had nothing to do with the fact that they were Poles". Another minister said that the attacks "brought shame on us all".
Local people say the incident began when the two Poles, who were described as hard-working quiet men, were on their way to buy food when they were asked by a gang of teenagers to purchase alcohol for them.
When they refused one of the teenagers fetched a screwdriver and stabbed them, one in the head and one in the neck. Several youths have been questioned by police about the incident.
The Polish embassy in Dublin says it has been inundated by sympathy calls. The ambassador to Ireland, Dr Tadeusz Szumowski, said: "It was an act of pure hooliganism which knows no boundaries and no frontiers. It could have happened anywhere."
Mr Szwajkos's sister, Gosia, said: "We want to believe deep down that my brother was not killed because he was Polish. But... we probably won't ever know."
A bank account has been up to help the bereaved families with repatriation costs. A vigil is to be held tonight at the scene of the attack.
