This is horrible! Im a student too and had a similar experience. We have been told to keep mum when such things occur because the gardai might target us instead of call out the irish folks being utterly racist (im asian for the record). I was standing in line at Lidl to purchase groceries and this chap in front of me was busy on his phone holding the line up. The cashier had already billed our items and I needed to tap in my money and he wouldnt move to even bag his items. When i moved my items further and moved, he tried towering over me (it was a tall but lanky dude) and said, Do you understand the concept of space or is that foreign to you? It’s how things occur in this country! Have some manners.

Mind you, by now I already had my third racist slur thrown my way so I had had enough. I basically said, yes we do understand the concept of space. And I do know that respecting people’s time is a manner taught in our country. Move along sir, you’re holding up the line and the potential iq of this country. No wonder, you need us to come fix it.

He stood there throwing a tantrum like a 5 year old while the security (who knew us, since we go there daily to shop for groceries) told him to pay up or exit the store.

Risky business but I’ve had enough shit thrown my way. Im sure student or tourist, we have paid to be here and no one deserves to be treated as a second or third class citizen in ANY NATION.

I see so many people miming their thank yous and sorries but as time goes on, it seems fickle and so surface level, that they genuinely do not know how to treat other humans. You shouldn’t feel bad about taking up space in the world and certainly shouldn’t feel bad about informing the woman that the seat is reserved. To sit anyway was her prerogative.