Indian students in shock after racially-motivated rope attack in Cork city

International students in Cork have expressed concern for their safety after an Indian student had a rope put around his neck in a racially motivated attack in Cork city in recent days.

Dr Lekha Menon Margassery, president of the UCC Indian Alumni Community, told RTÉ that she had called for increased policing in Cork city centre in the wake of what she believes were racially motivated incidents.

Dr Margassery said one student was talking to his friend on the phone near Carroll's gift shop on Patrick Street at around 5.30pm last Saturday when a rope was thrown around his neck.

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The shocking incident and others like it are making the city a no-go area for international students, said Dr Margassery.

“Suddenly a guy just threw a plastic rope around his neck and tried to strangle him. Somehow the student took off the rope and ran away.

“He crossed the road and started walking and took a picture of the entire gang of teenagers.”

Dr Margassery said a second incident happened within half an hour in the Adelaide Street and North Main Street area and involved the same group of teenagers.

“These two students were working back in India but the company has given them a sabbatical and they are here to do their masters.

“They are a husband and wife. And the same guy put a rope around the neck of the husband. He immediately took it off. And [what looked like] a 10-year-old boy laughed as if it were a joke.

“It is very scary because that could happen to anyone. I am hearing that about three weeks or a month earlier some graduates were walking across Paul Street shopping centre in Cork. They were just buying groceries. They were surrounded by four people who were abusing them. Telling them to go back to their country.

“I am shocked by this. I am here since 2008 and it is only in the last six months that I am hearing of this type of thing.”

Dr Margassery said the first impacted student is afraid to leave the UCC campus. He is looking for a job on site as he doesn’t want to go to the city centre for part-time work.

Gardaí confirmed that they received a report of an alleged incident of assault, which occurred on St Patrick's Street in Cork last Saturday afternoon.

“No injuries were reported at the time. Enquiries are ongoing.”

A spokesman for the Garda Press Office is making enquiries with the relevant district in relation to the second alleged incident.