This seems a little harsh.
A reporter for 7 News in Australia caused controversy at the weekend after posting a comment on social media directed at Irish people living in Sydney.
Australia’s biggest city was hit with a series of wild storms over the weekend, storms that claimed the lives of at least three people and battered coastal areas in New South Wales.
Coogee, an area popular with Irish people living in Sydney, was badly affected.
Devastating damage was caused to the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club, which has been in existence for 110 years, while most of the sand was eroded on the main part of Coogee beach.
Josh Massoud, a reporter for 7 News Sydney posted a picture of the damage on Coogee Beach on his Instagram and Twitter accounts on Sunday, along with a comment which read: ‘Coogee demolished over the weekend and for a pleasant change the Irish aren’t to blame.’
Coogee demolished over the weekend and for a pleasant change the Irish aren't to blame. @ Coogee… https://t.co/c7jUSREZll
— Josh Massoud (@josh_massoud) June 5, 2016
The post also briefly appeared on the 7 News Sydney Twitter account before it was deleted.
Whether Massound, who is followed by 15,500 people on Twitter, intended the comment as a joke is unclear, but it attracted criticism on both Twitter and Instagram after it was posted.
https://twitter.com/gcooney/status/739732475513966593
some comment for a journalist to make. Would you be so quick to imply things about blacks or Muslims?
— AliceInWonderland (@stupy12) June 6, 2016
That awkward moment when you're Irish and work for Channel 7 #LookingForwardToTomorrowsOpenForumMeeting
— Lorraine Murphy (@lorsmurphy) June 6, 2016
Proud to Irish ☘☘☘. Find these type of remarks disappointing #irelandinoz
— Dervla (@Dervla_Walsh) June 6, 2016
Shame on you. As an Irish Australian this is offensive and unrelated to the news. If this is a joke you've missed the mark.
— Fiona Barry (@fionab555) June 6, 2016
…Horrible racist comment, shame on you, you'd kick up if we were racist to your kind. Lucky the Irish are so easy going…!!
— Yvonne Rooney (@YvonneRNy) June 6, 2016
casual racism at its best! Idiot!
— Orla Conway (@OrlaConway) June 6, 2016
Cheers to Shane Doolan and Jade Ní Labhraí for sending this our way. Got a story for JOE? Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter, send it to our WhatsApp number 087-4001102 or mail [email protected].
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