The father of “Ireland’s George Floyd” is now calling for justice after learning of his son’s passing only after seeing a video of the 35-year-old being restrained on the ground.
Yves Sakila, a Congolese who had lived in Ireland for over 20 years, is shown in horrifying video being restrained by security personnel on the ground outside Arnotts on Dublin’s Henry Street for about five minutes.
Under the weight of the security personnel, Mr. Sakila is seen in the video attempting to raise his body off the ground with his right hand.
Last Friday night, Mr. Sakila, who was homeless and battled addiction, was pronounced dead at the Mater Hospital.
His remains underwent a post-mortem this week, which was reported to be “inconclusive.” The toxicological test results are still being awaited by the Gardaí.
Alain Sakila, the father of Mr. Sakila and a resident of Belgium, announced this week that he is traveling to Dublin in an effort “to get justice for my son.”
The 56-year-old Mr. Sakila, a pushback driver for Air France aircraft, didn’t find out about his son’s passing until he watched a video of the incident at work.
He called the footage “shocking” and “horrific.”
Bystanders watched as at least five men pinned Mr. Sakila to the ground for over five minutes, according to a video of the incident.
As the garda probe into his killing deepened this week, the heads of a security firm working for a Dublin retailer also traveled in from the UK.
On Tuesday, the directors of Synergy Security Solutions—which employs more than 1,500 people worldwide—arrived in the capital.
Additionally, a senior investigative office has been appointed by the gardaí to lead the investigation into his death.
Following Mr. Sakila’s passing, hundreds of protesters rallied outside Leinster House this week to demand “justice” for the Congolese national’s demise.
The accused shoplifter died “as a consequence of a bottle of perfume,” according to the family’s attorney.
An impartial inquiry into Mr. Sakila’s death has been demanded by Ireland’s Special Rapporteur on Racism and Racial Equality.
Dr. Ebun Joseph stated that she has written to Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, and Garda Ombudsman Fiosrú to voice her concerns on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Sakila’s death.
After security officers apprehended Mr. Sakila in relation to an alleged shoplifting incident last Friday afternoon, the Gardaí were notified.
This Monday, hundreds of people gathered outside Leinster House to demand “justice” for the death of the Congolese national.
Alain Sakila, the father of Mr. Sakila, announced this week that he is traveling to Dublin in an effort “to get justice for my son.”
As the suspect tried to escape the scene, a man in his 80s was hurt.
A video of the event, which shows Mr. Sakila being restrained on the ground for about five minutes, was deemed “very disturbing” by the Irish Network Against Racism.
The arrested man is heard yelling in anguish at the beginning of the video, but at the end, he seems to be standing still.
Dr. Joseph said in a statement that the video has “caused profound distress, fear, and outrage across many communities, particularly among black and minority ethnic communities who already experience heightened anxiety regarding racial profiling, excessive force, unequal treatment, and over-policing in public spaces.”
“The scenes depicted are deeply disturbing and raise urgent and serious questions which require comprehensive examination,” she continued.
“This episode does not exist in isolation,” the Special Rapporteur said, expressing worries about the “normalization of hate toward migrants, black communities, and other ethnic groups within public discourse and wider society. It arises in a larger social and political context where hostile rhetoric about immigrants, refugees, racialized minorities, and black communities has become more prevalent and, at times, normalized in public discourse. According to Dr. Joseph, “such rhetoric contributes to the dehumanization of vulnerable communities and risks creating an environment in which violence, suspicion, and unequal treatment become more socially tolerated.”
Flowers are placed outside a retail store on Henry Street, where security personnel were holding Mr. Sakila.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated that it has taken action to guarantee that an impartial inquiry into Mr. Sakila’s death is conducted in Ireland.
The Ministry stated that it is monitoring the matter “with deep emotion and serious concern” in a statement that was uploaded on X.
In order to determine the precise circumstances behind Mr. Sakila’s death and to guarantee that a “independent, transparent, and diligent investigation is conducted,” the ministry stated that it had initiated diplomatic and consular actions.
The CCTV and social media footage of the incident has been recovered, according to the Gardaí investigating Mr. Sakila’s death.
They want to talk to anyone who was on Henry Street between Moore Street and Coles Lane last Friday, May 15, between 5 and 5.25 p.m.
Anyone with information is requested to call any garda station, the Garda Confidential Line, or Store Street Garda Station at 01 666 8000.
