A legal fund has been launched for a Belfast factory worker who was dismissed from his job for confronting two Muslim men praying in the changing room.
The video was recorded in February this year by a man who entered the changing room of Hovis’ Belfast site off the Boucher Road in south Belfast.
The person in the video tells two men, who appear to be using prayer mats, that he was “in here to change, not watch this f***ing crap”.
The video records the man telling them to “get the f*** out.”
He goes on to say that “this is not a prayer room lads, come on” and for the two men to “take it outside” because he wants to use his locker.
The man recording the video then says he “finds it offensive” that the two men were praying in the room and asks them to leave the changing room and find somewhere else to pray.
The two men then exit the room before the video ends.
An image from the video posted on social media in February
A fundraising page has now been set up for Matthew McDonagh (57). It claims that he lost his job in May of this year as a result of the video. It says Mr McDondagh has worked at the firm for 20 years and had “no previous disciplinary history.”
The fundraiser, launched on Tuesday, says “Matthew’s contract has now been terminated with company” and has asked for donations to cover his legal costs.
A spokesperson for Hovis said legal proceedings were ongoing in connection with the case.
“Due to the fact that legal proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment at this stage,” a company spokesperson said.
More than £1,000 has been raised via the donation page.
The fundraising appeal has been shared by a number of far-right activists based in the UK.
The Irish News attempted to contact the individual who had set up the GoFundMe page.