I thank the Senators for raising this very serious matter which has caused grave concern.
Irish soccer supporters are renowned throughout the world for the colour and fun they bring wherever they go and their impeccable behaviour. That has been demonstrated time and time again, most recently this summer during the World Cup in Japan and Korea, where Japanese and Korean authorities praised the behaviour of up to 9,000 Irish supporters. It is only fair to point out that these reports regarding Irish supporters are not new and are consistent with reports from other venues where great numbers of Irish people have travelled in support of the national soccer team. We recall with pride the Irish supporters in Germany in 1988, the extraordinary scenes in Italy in 1990 and in the United States in 1994. Leaving aside World Cup and European Championship tournaments, the record of Irish supporters in attending qualifier and friendly games is equally good. No one can suggest that these attacks can in any way be attributed to the Irish supporters.
It is for those reasons that the events in Moscow at the weekend must be viewed as shocking and disturbing. It is recognised that between 4,500 and 5,000 Irish supporters were in Moscow for the game. The vast majority arrived between Wednesday, 4 September and Friday, 6 September. The Irish Embassy in Moscow has confirmed that about 20 Irish supporters were injured in the course of the weekend as a result of serious assaults by groups of young men. Many other Irish people, while not physically injured, were deeply distressed by their experiences.
Victims of these incidents, which occurred on 6 and 7 September, and mainly prior to the match, have reported that they were subjected to sudden and unprovoked attacks. It also seems from the reports that there was premeditation and co-ordination among the attackers in a number of instances and that victims were selected because of their Irish nationality. According to some of those attacked, there were policemen in the vicinity who made no attempt to intervene. Statements were made by many Irish citizens to the police about the attacks.
Embassy personnel remained on 24 hour call throughout the period concerned. A special emergency helpline was set up and manned around the clock. Embassy staff remained in close contact with the police throughout the weekend, visited hotels and bars frequented by Irish supporters, called to hospitals and police stations to assess the situation as it evolved and to hear the views of Irish citizens and rendered any necessary assistance.
The embassy has reported that the police operation in the stadium was well organised with the safety of the visiting supporters the primary concern. There were no reports of trouble at the match. The police have indicated that from the start of the match, they managed to prevent several more attacks on Irish supporters and that they arrested 60 young Russians, mostly in the vicinity of the hotels occupied by Irish supporters.
The Irish Embassy in Moscow, at the request of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has made urgent representations to the Russian authorities expressing concern at the events that took place. At a pre-match briefing held in the stadium at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, at which representatives of the Irish and Russian football associations, UEFA, match referees, stadium management, police, fire and ambulance services were present, an Irish official informed the police of the reports of the attacks in the preceding hours on the Irish supporters. The embassy continued to raise cases with the police as information came to hand.
On Monday, 9 September the Irish embassy contacted the Russian foreign ministry to express its deep concern about the events of the weekend. On 11 September Ireland's ambassador to Russia handed over an aide-memoire along with a summary of incidents of violence to the acting director of the second European department of the Russian foreign ministry and asked that the various incidents be investigated. The foreign ministry undertook to forward this material to the ministry for internal affairs with a view to ensuring a thorough and prompt investigation by the police into the incidents.
Details of the attacks as reported to the embassy were passed to the Moscow police at a meeting yesterday between an embassy official and the head of the international section of the police force. The Russian police, while expressing regret at the attacks on the Irish supporters, did point out to the embassy that the police had worked hard within the limits of the resources at their disposal to protect the Irish supporters and prevent the disturbances. Further contact with the Russian foreign minister and the police will be considered in the light of any further information received.
On my own behalf and that of the Minister I must say that we were very upset about the obvious harm, hurt and distress caused to many peaceful Irish supporters who went to Moscow with only sport on their minds.
The Seanad adjourned at 1.50 p.m. sine die.
