A NEW group aiming to challenge lies being spread about immigrants and address the real concerns in Limerick communities has been formed.
Limerick Against Racism is a coalition of community organisations which was formed “to try to give people the real narrative,” a spokeswoman for the group told the Limerick Post.
The group took part in an anti-racism protest organised by the ‘Ireland for All’ movement in Dublin last weekend to express welcome and solidarity with refugees and migrants across the country.
The event was, in part, organised as a response to growing numbers of anti-migrant protests across the country, including Dublin, Cork, and Kildare. No anti-migrant protests have been held in Limerick so far.
Limerick Against Racism was formed after a meeting where people “from all kinds of community organisations came along” says the spokeswoman, with a drive to “do something to give people real information.”
“There are very legitimate fears at community level, about issues such as housing for instance. Those organisations that want to stir up reaction against emigrants are predating on fears about social issues like housing. We want to talk to people at community level about the real reasons for these issues.”
Organisations such as migrant support group Doras are part of the new alliance, along with community groups and Limerick advocacy organisations.
“This group is very much in its infancy,” said the spokeswoman. “We are looking at all our options right now and perhaps putting together an information leaflet which outlines the real situation.”
“It’s very important that this remains a community driven group because it is at community level that we need to talk about the issues,” she said.
