'This is racist' - Social media post causes uproar over 'fermenting hatred' in community

The photo, which was shared on Facebook, shows the outside of the Church of the Assumption in Tullamore with what was purported to be Muslim prayer mats draped on the railings outside.

The post garnered hundreds of comments from people seemingly outraged that this had taken place, however, Tullamore Parish has issued a statement to say the photo is “completely untrue”.

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The statement reads,

“We can confirm that the story circulating on social media regarding rugs being placed on church railings is completely untrue and has no basis in fact. We would ask people not to rely on or share this misinformation”.

Cllr Shane Murray condemned the post on Facebook as "scaremongering" and said it was simply untrue.

"This post is racist and designed to ferment hatred in the community," he stressed.

The post has been widely circulated on Facebook with over 2,000 comments and almost 300 shares by early on Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Umar Al-Qadri Shaykh, Chief Imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland, released a statement saying they are aware of social media posts circulating that claim Muslim prayer mats were hung outside the Church of the Assumption in Tullamore.

“To verify the information, I contacted Father Joe Campbell from the church directly. He confirmed that the church only became aware of these claims after seeing the images circulating on social media. Neither has he personally witnessed such an incident or can confirm that it took place,” the post outlined.

“From an Islamic perspective, if such an act were to have occurred, it would be highly unusual and contrary to Islamic teachings.

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“Islam commands Muslims to respect people of other faiths and upholds the principles of religious freedom, mutual respect, and the protection of places of worship. Any act intended to insult or provoke another religious community is inconsistent with these values,” Dr Shaykh said.

“Social media can be a valuable source of information, but it can also be a platform where misleading or unverified content spreads quickly. That is why it is always important to verify the facts and investigate before drawing conclusions or sharing claims further.

“At this stage, we are investigating the origin of these images, if these are true who is behind this, and who is responsible for circulating them. Until the facts have been established, we encourage everyone to avoid speculation and refrain from sharing unverified information.

“If and when further verified information becomes available, it will be shared publicly,” Dr Shaykh.