Taoiseach condemns serious assault on secondary school student in Navan

"It's horrifying really. It looks to me like somebody was targeted because they're different. And humiliated, physically assaulted. I think everyone would condemn utterly. I understand there's a garda investigation underway and the victim has been treated for their injuries."

He asked anyone with information on the incident to cooperate with that investigation.

Mr Varadkar sent a message to the child, who social media users claim was the victim of a homophobic attack.

"I really want to send my solidarity to the young person who was harmed and injured in this way. I really want to say to them that life does get better. It's very sad that people experience violence and bullying in school but life does get better and not to give up. I also really just want to say how sad I am that in this day and age, we still see this kind of bullying and violence happening in our schools.

"So I would hope that as time goes on, particularly young people being so progressive and so clued in to the world around them that this wouldn't happen but it still does and I just really, really, really feel sorry for the young person and their family."

Gardaí confirmed that the male student suffered “serious facial injuries” in the attack, which appears to have been carried out by male students of the same school. The video shows a number of youths, at least four, punching and kicking the student, including while he is on the ground.

The assault occurred on a green area in a residential neighbourhood in the Navan area of Co. Meath last Monday as a large group of students were walking home. The attack appears to have been organised and a phone video capturing the victim and his initial assailant was being recorded before he was first punched in the face.

The attack on the male student, who had dyed pink hair, only ended when some other students came to his aid and told his assailants to stop.

In a statement, the Garda Press Office said: “Gardaí are investigating an assault which occurred in the Navan area of Co. Meath on Monday, 15 May 2023 at approximately 2.30pm. A male juvenile, later attended Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he received treatment for serious facial injuries.” 

Gardaí have appealed to people not to share the online video. 

“An Garda Síochána is aware of a video circulating on social media of this incident and out of respect for the victim in this case we would request that people refrain from sharing this video.” Gardaí are asking any person with information on the assault to contact Navan Garda Station at 046 9079930.

The statement did not say whether hate-related motivations formed part of the investigation.

The Louth Meath Education and Training Board, which is a patron of schools in the area, said it was aware of the incident. A spokesperson said the matter is currently under investigation by gardaí and the board can offer no further comment at this time.

Assault

Three of the victim's attackers are at least partially identifiable in the video. It shows the victim walking with a female student as a boy beside her appears to hit the victim in the face.

A boy positioned behind the victim then punched him twice in the face. As the victim turned around and tried to walk away a third male student approached and punched him twice, again in the face. As he fell to the ground, the first attacker punched and kicked him on the ground, with the third attacker joining in.

When the victim attempted to crawl away a fourth male student assaulted him and the third attacker again punched him. A couple of other students intervened and pushed some of the attackers away.

As part of their investigation gardaí will gather and analyse phone footage, identify witnesses and the attackers. At this stage they will interview them in the company of their parents or guardians.