Thugs target couple in anti-semitic attack
Herb Meyer shows the graffiti painted on the wall of his home in Tuam, Co Galway
The entrance to Herb Meyer's home on the Dublin Road in Tuam has been vandalised with the words "Go Home Jew", with a swastika also spray-painted on his driveway wall.
The culprits also sprayed swastika symbols and graffiti on the windows of the house in the attack which happened in the early hours of Monday.
Mr Meyer has spent the past eight years dividing his time between his home in Tuam and his main base in London. Originally from Italy, Mr Meyer said he was perturbed by the latest attack as he wasn't aware of many people who even knew his religion.
He and his partner Armida Walsh, a Tuam native, had recently decided to move back to London to live with relatives. However, Mr Meyer said that in view of the latest attack they may have to revise their plans.
"We had made the decision to move back to England long before these attacks but they have certainly tainted our remaining time in Tuam, which up until now has been a very happy period.
"Now I'm afraid to leave as I believe whoever has done this will come back to torch the house."
The vandalism is the third attack on Mr Meyer's property in recent months with his car being targeted in two separate arson attacks.
Mr Meyer said he didn't give much thought to the first fire as he attributed it to local children. However, when the car was set alight for a second time he became frightened that something more sinister was at play.
"It was like something you would have seen during the bad days in Belfast."
Deputy Mayor Pete Warren described the attack as "absolutely disgraceful" and said those responsible were "sick".
Mr Warren told this month's meeting of Tuam Town Council about the attack and supported a motion urging the gardai to examine CCTV footage from cameras in the area to try to identify the culprits.
- Jacqueline Hogge
