"We will not be intimidated": a mother from Cork whose two sons were beaten during an alleged racist assault

The mother of two boys who were beaten during an alleged racist gang attack on their way home from school thought they identified at least two of the "hooligans" who attacked them.

Diana, who lives in the northern part of Cork City, told the Irish Examiner that she had received information through social media, which she said will help keep track some of the perpetrators of the badaults including his sons, Alex, 14, and Reece, 15.

"I will not arrange for it to be called anti-social behavior. I think boys have been targeted because of their color and appearance, "she said.

"I'm devastated for my boys but we will not hide. We will not let anyone make us feel that we are living in fear. I will not let them intimidate us. I will work so hard, with the help of Gardaí, I will get to the bottom of things.

"Racism is so real, it's not right, even though we're a little shaken and obviously hurt, we will not let this gang intimidate us further."

The boys, born in Cork to Nigerian and Latvian parents, were confronted with a gang of at least five teenagers aged around 15 or 16 on the old Youghal road shortly after 4 pm on Tuesday.

Their mother told The Opinion Line on 96FM of Cork that they had just got off the bus in St Luke and took a shortcut in an alleyway towards Old Youghal Rd when the gang mocked the Afro hairstyle. Alex.

The brothers continued to walk before being jumped from behind. Two gang members attacked Alex while three others attacked Reece before all five started beating him.

Alex had cuts in his head, face and neck, as well as bruises on his face. Reece suffered several cuts in the head and bruises in the jaw and around the eyes.

The attackers fled when a pbading motorist stopped and intervened.

"I do not know what would have happened if these people had not intervened. I'm very grateful "

A woman living nearby alerted Gardaí, but Diana said they did not arrive home until 7 pm She treated the boys at home and said she was overwhelmed with support since her friends posted pictures of their wounds on social media.

"They are bruised but otherwise they are fine. We have been overwhelmed by the support and this has made my children feel better in this situation, knowing that people are behind us, "she said. "The more we talk about this type of incident, the more positive the reactions are, emotionally."

But she said that she could not understand the motivation of one of the attackers, described as having dark skin and wearing a green sweatpants.

"He was the first to attack, to throw a punch. Maybe it was out of pure jealousy. Maybe he has taken the wrong path in his life, "she said.

His sons go to high school in the southern part of town and Reece, who competed in pentathlon and high jump competitions, represented Ireland in athletics. But Diana explained that the boys had already been victims of racist abuse and that Alex was constantly confronted with her comments about her hairstyle.