Attack on War Memorial Gardens, Jewish Museum

national | crime and justice | other press Friday November 12, 2004 12:42 by Courtesy of Irish Independent

Attack on War Memorial Gardens, Jewish Museum. 'Free Iraq' daubed on national war memorial gardens. Swastika painted on Jewish Museum in apparently coordinated attacks.

THERE was outrage last night at the daubing of a Swastika on a Jewish centre and the throwing of paint and hate slogans written on a cross and altar at the National War Memorial gardens in Dublin.

As President McAleese spoke of bringing communities closer together during her inauguration address, and Remembrance Day ceremonies were held to commemorate the dead of two world wars, gardai were investigating the racist attacks which provoked angry reaction from political and church leaders.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell said he "utterly condemned" what had happened. There was, he said, no place in Irish society for people with such views.

And Labour'sjustice spokesman Deputy Joe Costelloe described them as "unacceptable and shameful".

In the anti-Semitic attack, a black Swastika was painted on the front wall of the Irish Jewish Museum off South Circular Road, the first incident of its kind in the centre's 20-year history.

At the National War Memorial in Islandbridge the vandals sprayed yellow paint on the cross, altar, and memorials and wrote slogans including "Traitors", "Burn in Hell", and "Free Iraq".

Last night the Royal British Legion said that despite the damage it was going ahead with its Remembrance wreath-laying ceremony in the gardens tomorrow.

Reacting to the Nazi symbol on the museum, Chief Rabbi Dr Yaakov Pearlman said he was "shocked beyond words that a deplorable racist act like this" could take place here.