An investigation is under way after a young German man was attacked early on Sunday morning in Dublin. Mr Christian Gebler (29), who lives in Swords, Co Dublin, said he was waiting for a Nitelink bus or a taxi to take him home when he was attacked by three men on the Naas Road near Clondalkin.
Mr Gebler said he told his attackers he was a German and he did not understand what they were saying to him. The next thing he remembered was waking up in St James's Hospital, where he was treated for facial injuries.
Det Sgt Tony Hughes said i had taken a statement from Mr Gebler yesterday. He said his officers were exploring every avenue in relation to the assault.
"I wouldn't automatically conclude that it was a racist attack. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that he was beaten up because he was a German," he said.
Sgt Hughes said a telephone call was made to Swords Garda station at 2 a.m. on Sunday, reporting that a man was being attacked by three men on a section of road between the M50 roundabout and the Long Mile Road junction.
A Garda patrol went to the scene but found nothing unusual. Sgt Hughes said an ambulance had arrived earlier and taken Mr Gebler to hospital.
Despite the attack, Mr Gebler said he had no intention of leaving Ireland.
"I have no trouble with the people in Ireland, I think all Irish people are very friendly and this is only one guy . . . so I want to stay here for a longer time," he said.
Mr Gebler has been an employee of Hertz, the car rental firm, since March. The company said it was deeply concerned to learn about the attack on one of its employees. A spokesman said there were 22 different nationalities working for Hertz in Dublin and this attack was the first of its kind.
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael South Central TD, Mr Gay Mitchell, called on the Government to appoint a Minister to organise a "proactive cross-departmental programme" to tackle racism following the attack.
"Racism abounds in Ireland and is going unchecked. The attack on a young German man in my constituency over the weekend is one of a series of attacks on foreigners here," he said.
