The Chapel Project.

[jobless]

Me and friend heard about the Chapelproject cine nights here and, hoping to offer support for a local community project, decided to go down. Like an earlier post to the forum, we too found the chapel to be completely locked up with no lighs on. We did knock and someone came to the door. When we asked if the film night was on he replied; "Maybe" then said; "Are you gonna come in or what?". We came in to a distinctly hostile welcome when immediately after sitting down a member of the group began to make loud, vulgar, homophobic remarks about us. She was clearly drunk and, knowing what it can be like, we tried to laugh it off. However this person kept shouting calling me a "minger". All the time this happened not a single member of the group spoke to us or asked their friend to stop, as she was becoming more insulting and we were clearly uncomfortable with the remarks she was making.

She then shouted a stream of racist abuse at me saying I was an "English minger", because "All English people are murdering, rapist, scum". Looking around the group for support and finding none we stated our shock at the her completely unprovoked, racist, and extremely unwelcoming behaviour and left.

All this happened in front of a group of about 10-15 people. Not a single person stood up and said anything about her behaviour or offered us any apologies. Some of those present were actually laughing along with her. I have never been subject to abuse of this sort and found it extremely upsetting, as did my friend. Most of all I find it incomprehendable that the people in attendace and those running this "community project" allowed it to happen and were actually complicit in her behaviour.

Some of the aims stated on the Chapelproject's website are to "provide affordable cultural activities to people, promoting creative interaction and therefore social change." Also; "Come and get involved. Whatever ideas, or positive energies you can share would be great..." My experience is completely at odds with the very idea behind any community centre, or social space, and these people have not right to describe themselves as such.

[Horsebox]

I'm sorry, what is this Chapel Project that you speak so highly of?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I read your original post

here

And was pretty appalled at the treatment you described. But now you have repeated it verbatim in the main thread... a whole day later. With nothing else to add, say or to give context. I'm not saying what you describe didn't happen, and it still sounds horrible... but it now begins to sound more like a personal thing. I would love to hear more.. how you feel a day later now that the event has passed? Have you been there before? Was it different then? If it was your first time what made you choose to go this time? Did you recognise anyone at all?

[KalamityKel]

Sorry... I dont get it... How did this person know you were gay or "english scum"? Surely if she was drunk she would have been going for others as well as yourself?

One assumes you've made a complaint elsewhere other than here?

[ratty]

Perhaps the idea is making the post more explicit and therefore prompting a response from the organiser?

[jobless]

Hey,

To answer your questions and to clear up any confusion about two posts....

Since that was an older post (and we only ran into by accident on google) I decided to post it in the main forum to make sure the matter is drawn attention to. No, its not a personal thing. However what happened really did appal and upset me. Since they are trying to promote themselves as a community project (and i'm part of the community myself!) I thought it would be a good idea to post it in the main 'ED issues' forum.

To answer some of your other questions, no I have never been to TheChapelProject before. We saw that they had a number of different events throughout the week including the cinema nights, circus skills and yoga. Since Ive been involved in social centres before this seemed perfect! Obviously, after Sunday we won't be going back for any of them.

I feel a lot more calm about the whole events now- I was incredibly angry about the treatment I received at the hands of a group of perfect strangers. I've never been on the recieving end of any racial abuse before and it was not very pleasent!

I really don't want this to appear as a vendetta, just trying to let you guys know.

Any other questions, please get back.

[SeanMacGabhann]

cheers jobless - sounds like a bad vibe all round - glad you've had time to cool down as well. Only rarely have I ended up in a place where I felt uncomfortably unwanted but it's not nice. I wonder iff it was a one-off and they were having a bad night.. I'm tempted to mosey down there and have a look

[SeanMacGabhann]

I see that the organisers have responded

here

[chapelproject]

We, the Chapel Project members are sad to read the comments published about the racist/ xenophobic incident that allegedly took place here while we hosted a cinema night. All of us are strong believers in inclusion and multiculturalism, despise those alleged remarks and are sad that the evening of some participants got spoiled by somebody?s misconduct.

We?ve hosted a variety of events and workshops and this is the first incident of this kind we have heard of. We are all disgusted by it. Those making the remarks were not known to us, but following the incident, our doors are no longer opened to them. This is even more sad because the offender seemed to have a pathological background, and further exclusion is unlikely to help her. However, we need to protect our position and set a standard of what is acceptable and what is not.

As a community space, a variety of public participates in the activities and events being organised. We expect community to be tolerant, polite and respectful, but we can?t control what people will say/ do at all times. We will act upon being informed, much alike employees in the cinema will react upon knowledge of misconduct by some spectators. Neither of Chapel Project members was witnessing this incident. Those witnessing it and not reacting were other community participants, but we the Chapel Project can not be held responsible for the inaction of the community. We think it?s quite likely that much of the audience, many of them not proficient in English, was not insensitive, but rather was confused about what was going on.

We encourage and welcome those writing this feedback to participate in other events and check for themselves that this has been an isolated occurrence and not a feature of the Chapel Project.