A businessman in Collon, Co Louth told LMFM Radio on 22 October that his private residence has been bombarded with fireworks and stones for several nights after local social-media pages wrongly claimed the property was being converted into an IPAS migrant centre.
Speaking on the station’s ‘Agenda’ programme, the owner—identified only as Stephen—said a passer-by saw a group of his employees waiting outside the gate for taxis to Dublin Airport, photographed them and shared the image on an anti-immigration Facebook group. The post was then amplified by other pages, including a republished item on TheLiberal.ie, triggering repeated nocturnal harassment. Gardai have increased patrols but advised that existing public-order laws make it difficult to secure restraining orders against anonymous online agitators.
The case illustrates how misinformation can swiftly translate into real-world intimidation of ordinary households and underscores reputational risks for companies whose shift workers gather near residential areas. Relocation managers should brief assignees on avoiding large groups outside suburban properties and consider providing private shuttle transport.
Legal experts note that the incident may bolster calls for Ireland’s long-delayed Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act to include faster takedown powers for content that incites violence against presumed migrant housing.
Speaking on the station’s ‘Agenda’ programme, the owner—identified only as Stephen—said a passer-by saw a group of his employees waiting outside the gate for taxis to Dublin Airport, photographed them and shared the image on an anti-immigration Facebook group. The post was then amplified by other pages, including a republished item on TheLiberal.ie, triggering repeated nocturnal harassment. Gardai have increased patrols but advised that existing public-order laws make it difficult to secure restraining orders against anonymous online agitators.
The case illustrates how misinformation can swiftly translate into real-world intimidation of ordinary households and underscores reputational risks for companies whose shift workers gather near residential areas. Relocation managers should brief assignees on avoiding large groups outside suburban properties and consider providing private shuttle transport.
Legal experts note that the incident may bolster calls for Ireland’s long-delayed Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act to include faster takedown powers for content that incites violence against presumed migrant housing.
