On the afternoon of Saturday 10th April nearly 3,000 people gathered in Parnell Square’s garden of remembrance, Dublin, to protest against the death of Toyosi  Shitta-Bey – a fifteen year-old Nigerian schoolboy who was brutally murdered in on Good Friday.

Despite protestations from the local Iman that the event was not necessary and cynical speculation from the media that the protest would be ‘hijacked’ by political groups, the rally went ahead. It was organised by Toyosi’s family and friends who desperately wanted to send out a loud and clear message to the people of Dublin – never again. The community of Toyosi’s resident Tyrrelstown in the west of the city is still reeling from the shock of last week’s events, and a deep-seated anger is evident. What is also evident and should be strongly commended is the community’s determination to ensure the ensuing anger is used for positive change and not negative retaliatory violence – a determination which was reflected in the admirable actions of young people at Saturday’s rally.

An African school friend of Toyoshi spoke emotively on stage about how he had been with him on the night of his death, and how he had watched his friend suffer. With tears running down his face he continued his speech by pleading with the people of Ireland to unite and ensure this atrocity need never be repeated. Afterwards he was comforted by Irish and African young people, demonstrating sympathy and solidarity with each other, race no more of an issue than what colour of shoes they were wearing.  Standing peacefully arm in arm, and hand in hand, white and black, were the youth of Toyosi’s community: people from his school, his friends and his family, holding hand-made and pre-printed placards with anti-racist slogans. The young people were shouting out a clear message which should be observed and acted on by all – there is no place for racism in any community, it is those responsible for this brutal murder who are not welcome.

Youth Against Racism also calls on the Gardai and PSNI to take every reported incident of racial abuse seriously and to act immediately – as stated by Socialist Party MEP Joe Higgins who was speaking at Saturday’s rally. However the race to the bottom in wages and conditions, the decimation of public services to fund the bail out of the banks and the lack of facilities in local communities can breed racism. The trade union movement and community activists have a key role to play in ensuring that these problems are laid at the feet of the government and their banker and speculator friends and not scapegoat minorities.

The youth of Tyrrelstown should serve as an inspiration to all working class communities – they see no difference between their skin colour and that of their friends, and they want to live in a world where they are free to mix together with no fear of violence or racist abuse. Strong community action is required now to end the scourge of racism in our communities and ensure that Toyosi’s death was not in vain and the wishes of his friends, his family, his neighbours and all attendees of Saturday’s rally are adamant, that never again should anyone have to suffer the horror of such a terrible event.