Woman concussed and 'shaken to my core' after alleged racist attack on Dublin bus
A woman has been left concussed and "shaken to my core" after she was attacked by a couple on a Dublin bus in an alleged racist incident.
Zara*, who is of Pakistani heritage and has lived in Ireland for the last ten years, had boarded the W4 bus at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre at around 8pm on Monday evening after seeing a movie. And the incident occurred when an Irish woman already on the bus began accusing her of pushing her as she tried to get off.
She told Dublin Live: "As the bus was stopping and people were trying to get off, a woman walked past me. Her shoulder may have lightly brushed mine while I was sitting.
"Out of nowhere, she began shouting and accusing me of pushing her, even though I was seated and hadn't touched her. I tried to ignore it, but she continued to scream aggressively, saying 'why are you pushing me' and 'what are you doing'.
"It felt like she already had some kind of hate or anger towards me before anything even happened. I calmly told her: 'Please don't shout at me. I didn't touch you.'
"But she kept yelling and then pushed me with both hands. I pushed her back in self-defence. That's when she grabbed my hair and began hitting me violently.
"I had no choice but to hit back to protect myself. There were two Indians, friends, she had pushed them beforehand.
"It was like she was trying to ask for trouble, or wanted trouble. They ignored it, whereas I defended myself."
The incident escalated when the woman's male partner jumped back on the bus and joined in the assault - apparently leaving a stroller behind him to do so. Zara said: "Her male partner joined in, and he began punching and kicking me full force, saying: 'You hit my wife. You hit my wife'.
"The man threw away a stroller when he came up to beat me, he threw away the stroller a child was in. I don't know where he went, but that's what the people said in the bus, he just literally threw the child away."
One man, a Ukrainian passenger, stepped in to help Zara. She said: "He tried to protect me, he got in between and he was trying to protect me, but he ended up getting kicked and punched as well.
"During the assault, they were shouting racist abuse, calling me a 'P**i b***h'. When the Ukrainian man said he was calling the Gardai, I also told them I was calling.
"That's when the attackers fled the scene." Gardai confirmed to Dublin Live that they attended the scene, and that investigations are ongoing.
Zara was diagnosed with a concussion after the incident. She says that the "racism, the violence, the helplessness" of the attack "still haunts" her.
She said: "I went to the hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion. My head and neck are still very sore, with visible swelling.
"And I've been left not just physically hurt, but mentally and emotionally shaken to my core. I've never experienced anything like this in my life. The racism, the violence, the helplessness I felt in that moment. It still haunts me."
*We have changed Zara's name to protect her identity.
Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage .
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Sightseeing' ex-Ukrainian soldier sparked alert at US ambassador's Dublin residence after he ‘wandered' over 8ft wall
A VETERAN Ukrainian soldier who sparked a security alert at the US ambassador's official residence in Dublin has been spared a jail sentence and has left the country. Oleksandr Kucherenko, 33, claimed to be sightseeing on June 13 and "wandered" into the grounds by scaling a moat and an eight-foot walled perimeter of the Deerfields residence in Phoenix Park. Advertisement He pleaded guilty the following day at Judge Michele Finan had ordered him to donate Kucherenko, of no fixed address, had claimed he could give €50 to the humanitarian charity. The case resumed today, but the former army man did not appear; however, his solicitor stated that his client had left Advertisement Read more in News Judge Finan imposed a €200 fine, payable within a year, in the defendant's absence. At his earlier hearing, on June 14, Garda Martin Curley said the accused's reply to the charge was, "My behaviour would not have scared anyone; I was not drunk." He had arrived in the country hours before his arrest. Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun A victim impact statement was not required. The PROPERTY ACCESS Garda Curley said: "The accused crossed a moat and climbed over the wall to get into the property." Security personnel detained the former soldier minutes later. Advertisement Defence barrister Kevin McCrave, instructed by Mr O'Connor, said Mr Kucherenko had been in the Ukrainian army and came to Ireland to visit friends in Claremorris, Co He did not address the court but briefed his barrister that he had "just landed, was sightseeing and taking photographs around the city". FAMILY TRAGEDY Counsel said the man "ended up in Phoenix Park and wandered into the grounds inadvertently", and he was apologetic. The court heard his father also served in the military and was killed in action in the war against Advertisement He planned to join other family members in While on bail pending sentence, the judge had ordered the accused, who was to stay in hostel accommodation, to sign in daily at a garda station, stay away from the ambassador's residence, and have no direct or indirect contact with any of the occupants or through 1 Oleksandr Kucherenko pleaded guilty to trespassing in a manner likely to place another person in fear Credit: TOM TUITE
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Ex-Ukrainian soldier who scaled wall of US ambassador's residence in Phoenix Park avoids jail
A VETERAN UKRAINIAN soldier who sparked a security alert at the US ambassador's official residence in Dublin has been spared a jail sentence and has left the country. Oleksandr Kucherenko, 33, claimed to be sightseeing on 13 June and that he 'wandered' into the grounds by scaling a moat and an eight-foot walled perimeter of the Deerfields residence in Phoenix Park. He pleaded guilty the following day at Dublin District Court to trespassing in a manner likely to place another person in fear. Judge Michele Finan had ordered him to donate money to the Red Cross and adjourned his case, with bail and a daily signing on condition, until Friday. Kucherenko, of no fixed address, had claimed he could give €50 to the humanitarian charity. The case resumed today, but the former army man did not appear; however, his solicitor stated that his client had left Ireland. Gardai confirmed that it was unknown whether he had given the money to charity. Judge Finan imposed a €200 fine, payable within a year, in the defendant's absence. At his earlier hearing, on 14 June, Garda Martin Curley said the accused's reply to the charge was: 'My behaviour would not have scared anyone; I was not drunk.' Advertisement He had arrived in the country hours before his arrest. A victim impact statement was not required. The court heard the Ukrainian national tripped the perimeter alarm at 3.30 pm. Garda Curley said: 'The accused crossed a moat and climbed over the wall to get into the property.' Security personnel detained the former soldier minutes later. Defence barrister Kevin McCrave, instructed by Mr O'Connor, said Mr Kucherenko had been in the Ukrainian army and came to Ireland to visit friends in Claremorris, Co Mayo. He did not address the court but briefed his barrister that he had 'just landed, was sightseeing and taking photographs around the city'. Counsel said the man 'ended up in Phoenix Park and wandered into the grounds inadvertently', and he was apologetic. The court heard his father also served in the military and was killed in action in the war against Russia, which led to the accused being allowed to leave the army. He planned to join other family members in Spain. While on bail pending sentence, the judge had ordered the accused, who was to stay in hostel accommodation, to sign in daily at a garda station, stay away from the ambassador's residence, and have no direct or indirect contact with any of the occupants or through social media.
RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
At least 45 injured in Rome petrol station explosion
At least 45 people have been injured in a huge explosion at a petrol station in Rome, according to Italian authorities. They include 12 police officers and six firefighters. The blast happened at the distributor of petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the city's eastern neighbourhood of Prenestino just after 8am (7am Irish time). The injured are being treated in local hospitals, Italian news agencies reported, with two in a critical condition due to extensive burns and needing ventilation support. Website Roma Today published a photograph of a huge ball of flame and smoke rising high into the sky. Separate images released by the fire department showed the petrol station almost gutted. "I pray for the people involved in the explosion of a gas station (...) in the heart of my Diocese. I continue to follow the developments of this tragic incident with concern," Pope Leo XIV wrote on social media. Firefighters and ambulance workers were caught up in the blast as they had been called to the scene earlier, after a truck hit a pipeline at the petrol station, Italian media said. Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri, speaking from the site, told reporters that an incident during fuel-tank refilling operations was suspected, causing a gas leak, followed by a fire and the explosion. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked police, firefighters and other emergency services for helping to ensure "that this tragic event didn't have even more serious consequences". The station had the Eni brand but was not owned by the Italian energy group, the company said in a statement. A sports centre that hosts a youth summer camp opposite the site was evacuated before the blast, a representative said in a Facebook video, adding that the five children in its care were safe and with their families.
