Cllr Ejiro O’Hare Stratton has condemned a shocking incident of racial and verbal abuse directed at her in broad daylight on West Street, Drogheda, last Friday, 26th September. The confrontation took place at around 3pm.
Cllr Stratton reported that she was followed and filmed by an individual who shouted racist slurs, telling her to “go back to your country,” and questioned her contribution to the town. The abuser also mocked her with comments such as, “Here is the Nigerian lady who came to Ireland as a nun, now running for the presidential election.” The encounter lasted several minutes, with no Garda presence in the busy public area, leaving her visibly shaken.
“This was not only an attack on me personally, but also on the values of respect, inclusion, and dignity that our town should stand for. No one should feel unsafe or unwelcome in a place we all call home,” she said.
“My heart bleeds to see a handful of people try to paint our beautiful community in such a negative way. In my 35 years here, I have never witnessed anything like this before. The Irish community I know, and the county I married into, are kind, friendly, and wonderfully hospitable. Those positive experiences are what have shaped my life here, and I will not allow the actions of one individual to erase or diminish the same.”
The councillor has urged stronger measures to tackle racism and hate-motivated harassment in Drogheda, alongside greater Garda visibility to ensure that all residents can live free from intimidation and hostility.
