The Leitrim and Roscommon United Against Racism group has said the most recent attempted arson attack at the Shannon Key West Hotel in Rooskey comes just weeks before asylum seekers were due to arrive in the village.
The group released a statement earlier this week which said that its members had visited the scene of the incident last Monday night and understood asylum seekers “were due to move into the hotel in the next week or two”.
Part of the statement read: ‘Leitrim and Roscommon United Against Racism would like to take the opportunity to condemn what appears to be a second racist attempted arson attack on the hotel.
‘We are shocked and saddened yet again by this incident. We want to send a clear message that the tiny minority of people who were involved in these attacks on the hotel and those who support them by no means reflect the vast majority of the people living in Leitrim or Roscommon.
‘We ask that all public representatives throughout the country come out, stand united with us and publicly condemn and work to end all forms of racism, whether it be online or in our communities.
‘We believe our government’s disastrous policies, including the housing crisis and Direct Provision are fueling racism in our communities, as are far-right political groups.
‘We demand an end to the government’s inhumane Direct Provision policy”.
