Outrage in Ireland after Congolese man Yves Sakila killed as guards kneel on his neck
Over 100 people joined a vigil for [Yves Sakila](https://x.com/VoiceSocialist/status/2056824493645893714) in Dublin on Tuesday, May 19. A member of the Congolese community, 35-year-old Sakila died late last week after being [violently restrained and pinned](https://x.com/europa/status/2056507726398968164/video/1) to the ground in front of a shop by a group of men, including private security guards. Another [protest action](https://www.instagram.com/p/DYhmENpsgJs/) has already been announced for Thursday.
Media reports suggest Sakila was assaulted after being accused of shoplifting. “A very disturbing 4m44s video has since emerged which appears to show the man on the ground being subdued by several men, who appear to be security guards and management at Arnotts,” the [Irish Network Against Racism](https://inar.ie/statement-on-the-death-of-mr-yves-sakila/) (INAR) stated on May 18.
“One of the men is seen to shift his weight onto his knee to drive it into the neck and head region of the subdued man,” the network added. “The man on the ground is heard shouting in distress as several men are kneeling on his body and the men shout several times for him to ‘stay down’ while holding his neck and pinning his body to the ground with their combined weight.”
“By the end of the 4m44s video we have seen, the man appears motionless.”
Similarly, the [Irish Council for Civil Liberties](https://www.iccl.ie/news/yves-sakilas-death-must-be-urgently-and-thoroughly-investigated/) (ICCL) said that “the footage is deeply distressing and clearly shows a disproportionate and excessive use of force by people who seem to be security personnel.”
“The death of Mr Yves Sakila last week is deeply distressing and has profoundly impacted the Congolese, African and broader Black and minority communities,” the network’s Executive Director Joe O’Brien added. “There is no getting away from the similarities between this incident and others we have seen here and [abroad](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/05/25/two-years-since-george-floyds-death-has-anything-changed-in-the-us/) in recent years.”
### ***Read more:*** [***Far right dominates local elections in Britain as traditional parties face demise***](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/05/15/far-right-dominates-local-elections-in-britain-as-traditional-parties-face-demise/)
Sakila’s death has caused outrage, starting with the Congolese community in Ireland, and sparked reactions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s [Ministry of Foreign Affairs](https://x.com/MinDiasporaRdc/status/2057024238519751007/photo/1). People attending the vigil called for a [swift and thorough investigation](https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0519/1574115-yves-sakila-death/) into the event to bring Sakila’s family and community justice – emphasizing that no one should be exposed to such violence.
The event has also raised additional concerns about existing trends in Ireland, including anti-immigrant sentiment fueled by right-wing groups and the effectiveness of current regulation on private security actors. The latter was raised as a problem by both legal observer networks like ICCL and parties from the progressive spectrum.
“ICCL has previously raised concerns about private security in settings including evictions, protest and the enforcement of court orders,” the organization said, stressing that any service using force must comply with human rights principles and be held accountable if they fail to do so.
Similar points were raised by [Sinn Féin](https://sinnfein.ie/news/full-investigation-needed-into-incident-on-henry-street-which-resulted-in-death-matt-carthy-td/) and the [Workers’ Party](https://workersparty.ie/man-dies-after-heavy-force-used-by-private-security-outside-dublin-city-centre-shop/). “While the Garda [police force] investigation and the Fiosrú [body which deals with complaints from members of the public about the Garda] investigation must be allowed to take their course so that justice is served, we need to also ensure that legislation and regulations governing private security services are robust enough to prevent any misuse of authority and to eliminate incidents of excessive or disproportionate force,” Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Matt Carthy stated.
“An alleged incident of shoplifting should not result in death,” the Workers’ Party emphasized. “It should go without saying that the protection of a person’s life ought to outweigh the protection of a department store’s property.”
### ***Read more:*** [***Fuel protests in Ireland express deep anger over austerity and neglect***](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/04/20/fuel-protests-in-ireland-express-deep-anger-over-austerity-and-neglect/)
Other reactions warned of a growing sense of insecurity among migrant communities resulting from right-wing mobilization and mainstream parties’ endorsement of anti-migrant discourse, which includes attempts to blame migrants for socioeconomic concerns of the working class. Similar efforts have been identified during mass fuel protests in April, and in recent comments by former prime minister [Bartholomew Ahern](https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0513/1573125-bertie-ahern/) regarding immigration to Ireland.
“Immigrants are facing increasing hostility and fear of attack created by far-right groups, but also by anti-immigrant government policies and rhetoric,” said Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin from the [People Before Profit](https://www.pbp.ie/eoghan-o-ceannabhain-expresses-serious-concern-about-the-circumstances-of-the-death-of-yves-sakila-on-friday/) party. “Bertie Ahern’s recent comments were a shameful example of how government parties are fanning the flames of anti-immigrant hatred to divert from their own disastrous policies. [Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/02/ireland-faces-continuation-of-status-quo-as-center-right-parties-eye-coalition-government/) bear heavy responsibility for the fear immigrant communities have to live with today.”
The post [Outrage in Ireland after Congolese man Yves Sakila killed as guards kneel on his neck](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/05/20/outrage-in-ireland-after-congolese-man-yves-sakila-killed-as-guards-kneel-on-his-neck/) appeared first on [Peoples Dispatch](https://peoplesdispatch.org/).
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Media reports suggest Sakila was assaulted after being accused of shoplifting. “A very disturbing 4m44s video has since emerged which appears to show the man on the ground being subdued by several men, who appear to be security guards and management at Arnotts,” the [Irish Network Against Racism](https://inar.ie/statement-on-the-death-of-mr-yves-sakila/) (INAR) stated on May 18.
“One of the men is seen to shift his weight onto his knee to drive it into the neck and head region of the subdued man,” the network added. “The man on the ground is heard shouting in distress as several men are kneeling on his body and the men shout several times for him to ‘stay down’ while holding his neck and pinning his body to the ground with their combined weight.”
“By the end of the 4m44s video we have seen, the man appears motionless.”
Similarly, the [Irish Council for Civil Liberties](https://www.iccl.ie/news/yves-sakilas-death-must-be-urgently-and-thoroughly-investigated/) (ICCL) said that “the footage is deeply distressing and clearly shows a disproportionate and excessive use of force by people who seem to be security personnel.”
“The death of Mr Yves Sakila last week is deeply distressing and has profoundly impacted the Congolese, African and broader Black and minority communities,” the network’s Executive Director Joe O’Brien added. “There is no getting away from the similarities between this incident and others we have seen here and [abroad](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/05/25/two-years-since-george-floyds-death-has-anything-changed-in-the-us/) in recent years.”
### ***Read more:*** [***Far right dominates local elections in Britain as traditional parties face demise***](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/05/15/far-right-dominates-local-elections-in-britain-as-traditional-parties-face-demise/)
Sakila’s death has caused outrage, starting with the Congolese community in Ireland, and sparked reactions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s [Ministry of Foreign Affairs](https://x.com/MinDiasporaRdc/status/2057024238519751007/photo/1). People attending the vigil called for a [swift and thorough investigation](https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0519/1574115-yves-sakila-death/) into the event to bring Sakila’s family and community justice – emphasizing that no one should be exposed to such violence.
The event has also raised additional concerns about existing trends in Ireland, including anti-immigrant sentiment fueled by right-wing groups and the effectiveness of current regulation on private security actors. The latter was raised as a problem by both legal observer networks like ICCL and parties from the progressive spectrum.
“ICCL has previously raised concerns about private security in settings including evictions, protest and the enforcement of court orders,” the organization said, stressing that any service using force must comply with human rights principles and be held accountable if they fail to do so.
Similar points were raised by [Sinn Féin](https://sinnfein.ie/news/full-investigation-needed-into-incident-on-henry-street-which-resulted-in-death-matt-carthy-td/) and the [Workers’ Party](https://workersparty.ie/man-dies-after-heavy-force-used-by-private-security-outside-dublin-city-centre-shop/). “While the Garda [police force] investigation and the Fiosrú [body which deals with complaints from members of the public about the Garda] investigation must be allowed to take their course so that justice is served, we need to also ensure that legislation and regulations governing private security services are robust enough to prevent any misuse of authority and to eliminate incidents of excessive or disproportionate force,” Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Matt Carthy stated.
“An alleged incident of shoplifting should not result in death,” the Workers’ Party emphasized. “It should go without saying that the protection of a person’s life ought to outweigh the protection of a department store’s property.”
### ***Read more:*** [***Fuel protests in Ireland express deep anger over austerity and neglect***](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/04/20/fuel-protests-in-ireland-express-deep-anger-over-austerity-and-neglect/)
Other reactions warned of a growing sense of insecurity among migrant communities resulting from right-wing mobilization and mainstream parties’ endorsement of anti-migrant discourse, which includes attempts to blame migrants for socioeconomic concerns of the working class. Similar efforts have been identified during mass fuel protests in April, and in recent comments by former prime minister [Bartholomew Ahern](https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0513/1573125-bertie-ahern/) regarding immigration to Ireland.
“Immigrants are facing increasing hostility and fear of attack created by far-right groups, but also by anti-immigrant government policies and rhetoric,” said Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin from the [People Before Profit](https://www.pbp.ie/eoghan-o-ceannabhain-expresses-serious-concern-about-the-circumstances-of-the-death-of-yves-sakila-on-friday/) party. “Bertie Ahern’s recent comments were a shameful example of how government parties are fanning the flames of anti-immigrant hatred to divert from their own disastrous policies. [Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/02/ireland-faces-continuation-of-status-quo-as-center-right-parties-eye-coalition-government/) bear heavy responsibility for the fear immigrant communities have to live with today.”
The post [Outrage in Ireland after Congolese man Yves Sakila killed as guards kneel on his neck](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/05/20/outrage-in-ireland-after-congolese-man-yves-sakila-killed-as-guards-kneel-on-his-neck/) appeared first on [Peoples Dispatch](https://peoplesdispatch.org/).
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