By Mehmet Solmaz
BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - An Irish imam is demanding tougher hate speech legislation on Thursday after he said he was verbally abused on a Ryanair flight.
Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, who is the chief imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland, told RTÉ that the incident occurred as passengers were boarding a flight from Poland to Dublin.
“I was in the plane, just one of the first passengers to settle in my seat. As I was sitting, somebody just pushed me on my shoulder and started shouting at me,” he told the Irish public broadcaster.
He described the emotional effect of the encounter. “I felt hurt and betrayed,” as the attacker yelled insults targeting the Muslim faith.
After landing, border officers spoke to both sides, and the attacker apologized for his behavior. When asked by officers and Ryanair staff, Al-Qadri said he would not press charges, explaining that he wanted him to learn from the experience rather than suffer consequences.
“I think pursuing this through the courts would have done more damage and perhaps have increased the hatred and animosity that this person has. I don’t think it was worth it,” he said.
Al-Qadri said the attacker, who is originally from Poland and has lived in Ireland for two decades, told him he had seen him online and knew he was Muslim.
The imam reminded the man that after 20 years in Ireland, he should know it is not acceptable to discriminate against people for their beliefs. He added that banning the man from flying could cause unnecessary hardship, as he likely relies on Ryanair for travel to his home country.
Al-Qadri called on government institutions and civil society organizations to support education, awareness and stronger enforcement measures to combat hate speech.