Protesters call for full investigation into death of Yves Sakila on Henry Street

A member of the Congolese Community in Ireland said they feel welcome when medals are won and conditions are good, but that a sense of safety disappears when a crisis occurs. They said suspicion, silence, and indifference often follow events involving people who have come from abroad. Yves Sakila, a 35-year-old Congolese national, died after being restrained by security staff following an alleged shoplifting offence at Arnotts on Henry Street in Dublin. Gardaí found him unresponsive and began CPR, and emergency services were alerted, but he later died at Mater Hospital. Video footage showed him becoming unresponsive while restrained for several minutes. Concerns were raised about excessive force, with civil liberties and anti-racism groups calling the footage distressing and disproportionate. During the incident, an elderly man in his 80s was knocked over and later treated for a broken hip.

"A member of the Congolese Community in Ireland group has said they feel welcome here when they are winning medals and everything is going well, but the moment a crisis occurs that illusion of safety vanishes. Speaking ahead of a protest at government buildings following the death of Yves Sakila, Lisette Lubungu, said suspicion, silence, and indifference often comes when events involving people who have come from abroad happens."

"Sakila, a 35-year-old Congolese national, was pronounced dead on Friday May 15 after being restrained by security staff following an alleged shoplifting offence in the Arnotts department store on Dublin's Henry Street. When gardai arrived he was unresponsive and they commenced CPR, and alerted the emergency services, but Sakila was later pronounced dead in the Mater Hospital. Video footage later emerged of the incident that shows Sakila becoming unresponsive as he is restrained for several minutes."

"Concerns have been raised that there was excessive force used in restraining him. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said the footage is "deeply distressing and clearly shows a disproportionate and excessive use of force by people who seem to be security personnel". Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) director Shane O'Curry said the group is very concerned that the case appears to have the hallmarks of a case of excessive use of force."

"Yves Sakila had been living in a supported housing facility at the Granby Centre in Dublin 1. He had numerous interactions with gardaí over the years and had more than 50 previous criminal convictions. The majority of these were for theft offences, while he had also been prosecuted for public order offences in the past. During the incident on Henry Street an elderly man in his 80s was knocked over. He was later treated in hospital for a broken hip."

Read at Irish Independent