Ireland’s Cost-of-Living Crisis Sparks Racist Backlash: Indian Students Targeted After Galway Food Bank Photo

New Delhi: What began as a routine report on student hardship in Galway has turned into a flashpoint for anti-immigrant sentiment. A photograph showing students queuing outside the University of Galway’s Speir pantry - a student-run food bank struggling to meet demand - was published by the Irish Times. Instead of drawing attention to Ireland’s cost-of-living crisis, the image became the focus of a wave of online hostility directed at Indian students.

The pantry, which distributed nearly €500,000 worth of food last year, has been forced to turn away hundreds of students each week. Yet social media commentary largely ignored the economic strain and fixated on the South Asian faces in the queue. Posts accused Indian students of exploiting charity services, questioned their financial credibility, and demanded that food aid be reserved for “Irish-born residents.” Some went further, calling for deportations and dismissing multiculturalism as a “sham.”

Online Hostility

The backlash included crude stereotypes and outright racist slurs. One user wrote, “You can’t have food banks in a society that includes Indians and other third worlders.” Another claimed, “Immigrants are natural thieves and will take food even if they have plenty of their own.” Others alleged that Indian students misuse food banks despite having funds, citing similar claims in Canada.

Embassy Advisory

The Embassy of India in Dublin has already warned of rising hostility. In an advisory last year, it noted an increase in physical attacks against Indian citizens and urged nationals to take precautions, avoid deserted areas at odd hours, and remain alert. Emergency contact numbers have been circulated for those in distress.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of Ireland’s housing shortages, rising living costs, and strained public services. Social media narratives increasingly blame immigrants for these pressures, with Indian students singled out as symbols of the strain.

Recent Crimes Against Indians in Ireland

The online hostility mirrors a troubling rise in real-world violence. In late 2025, an Indian student in Cork was assaulted outside a community food service. In Dublin, two Indian workers were attacked near a bus stop in December. Earlier, in Galway, an Indian-origin shop assistant was hospitalised after a racially motivated assault. 

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