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Irish Examiner
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Thousands attend pro-Palestine and anti-immigration rallies in Cork
A major policing operation was in place in Cork City this afternoon as thousands of people marched in two separate rallies. Dozens of uniformed gardaí, backed up by dozens of members of the Garda Public Order Unit — all deployed in soft cap mode — and members of the Garda Mounted Unit were on duty on the Grand Parade in Cork. Thousands gathered in one area for a Munster-wide pro-Palestine march, and nearby for what was billed as a "national protest for Ireland," organised by anti-immigration campaigners. Several prominent far-right agitators were involved in that event, including former Ireland First leader Derek Blighe. Hermann Kelly of the Irish Freedom Party was among those attending. Garda Mounted Unit at Grand Parade Cork to support the Garda Public Order Unit as two protest marches take place on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Rebel News, a Canadian-based far-right online news website, had a reporter on the ground covering what it described as a rally of Irish patriots opposed to the Government's mass immigration policies. Crowd control barriers were in place to keep both sides apart. The Garda Air Unit patrolled the skies above, and with road closures and diversions in place, there was widespread disruption to public transport timetables. Following initial chanting, some verbal insults were traded back and forth between sections of both crowds before the marches began. Protest march to City Hall, Cork on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins The pro-Palestinian campaigners were marshalled in one direction — down St Patrick's Street, onto Oliver Plunkett Street, and back to the Grand Parade for speeches and music — while the anti-immigration protest marched in the other direction, down the South Mall at around the same time, to gather on MacSwiney Quay outside City Hall for speeches. Gardaí have not given out official crowd estimates, but organisers of the pro-Palestine march, the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign — who record attendance at their weekly rallies — have put their numbers at just over 4,500 people. They heard calls on the Irish Government to place sanctions on Israel, pass the Occupied Territories Bill, and stop the Central Bank of Ireland from authorising the sale of Israeli bonds in Europe. Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign weekly protest march in Cork City against the atrocities in Gaza. Picture Larry Cummins Naser Swirki, a theatre and film director who was born in Gaza and now lives in Skibbereen spoke of the horror that Israel is inflicting on people who are trying to survive in his country. 'In Gaza, death spares no one — doctors, children, the displaced, and even hope itself,' he said. 'In Gaza, instead of saying, "See you tomorrow," they say, "See you in heaven." 'Parents memorise their children's clothes to identify their remains later. 'They struggle to get a piece of bread, offering it before bed, so their children don't die while they're still hungry.' Protest march to City Hall, Cork on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Limerick-based Palestinian poet Tamar, 26 — whose four brothers and parents are still in Palestine — and activist Tadhg Hickey were also among the speakers. It is estimated that around 3,000 people marched in the 'national protest for Ireland' rally, with many carrying tricolours. They heard speakers criticising government immigration and housing policy. Mr Blighe also addressed the Irish diaspora and said Irish nationalists want to give them a 'homeland to return to.' Garda Mounted Unit at Grand Parade Cork to support the Garda Public Order Unit as two protest marches take place on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Wearing a set of blue rosary beads on his left wrist, he said the government wants to put climate, diversity and foreigners first. 'What counts in my heart is to put the Irish first,' he said. The organisers of both events encouraged participants to behave responsibly. Both events passed off peacefully and there was just one arrest for an alleged public order offence. Read More Stricter regulations needed at Cork camper van site after excrement dumped in fields, council hears
Irish Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gardai arrest teenager as part of ongoing probe into Coolock protests
Gardaí have arrested a teenager as part of an investigation into the serious public order incident in Coolock last year following an anti-refugee protest. On July 15, 2024, several people were arrested following a violent protest that saw a JCB set on fire and bricks hurled at Gardaí in North Dublin. Hundreds of anti-asylum seeker protestors lined the Malahide Road in Coolock over the afternoon, with some protestors later becoming involved in violent clashes with the Garda Public Order Unit. Over 30 garda cars were called to the scene and more than 60 members of An Garda Siochana arrived, closing off a large section of the road - in an effort to bring about order. The Garda Public Order Unit arrived in four vans - and began to try and disperse the crowd with a cordon - armed with shields. The unprecedented scenes came after some protestors had earlier stormed a barricaded area and set fire to a JCB digger and a number of other items. Earlier today, Thursday, May 1, Gardaí arrested one person in connection with the ongoing Garda investigation into the protests. This brings the total number of arrests to date in this investigation to 40. The male adult teenager was detained for questioning under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Garda station in North Dublin. He has since been released pending referral to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme.
Irish Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Three arrested for public order offences at Dublin anti-immigration protest
Three people were arrested for public order offences during a large anti-immigration march and counter demonstration in Dublin city centre on Saturday. The arrests were understood to be for minor matters, including failing to follow the direction of a garda. Despite the large numbers involved, the events passed off mostly peacefully. 'No major incidents of note occurred,' a garda spokesman said. Large numbers of gardaí maintained a cordon around the demonstrations and successfully prevented contact between the two groups. READ MORE The Garda Public Order Unit and Mounted Support Unit, along with a helicopter from the Garda Air Support Unit, were present throughout the day. The anti-immigration protest, described by organisers as an Easter Rising commemoration to pay respect to 'those who fought and gave their lives to preserve the Irish nation and create the Irish Republic', began at 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square. Thousands of people took part in an anti-immigration rally in Dublin, with a counter demonstration also taking place. Video: Sarah Burns United Against Racism – supported by a number of organisations and members of Opposition parties including Sinn Féin , Labour , People Before Profit , the Social Democrats , the Socialist Party and the Green Party – hosted a counter-protest at the nearby GPO at 1.30pm. There were some hostile and aggressive interactions between protesters as the anti-immigration rally passed by the antiracism demonstration at the GPO. The United Against Racism demonstration saw those gathered carry signs reading Stand Against Racism while chanting 'refugees are welcome' and 'whose streets – our streets'. [ Thousands take part in anti-immigration protest in Dublin Opens in new window ] The anti-immigration protest travelled down to Custom House Quay, with anti-immigrant speakers including Dublin city councillors Malachy Steenson, Gavin Pepper and Philip Sutcliffe as well as Fingal councillor Patrick Quinlan of the far-right National Party . Cllr Steenson spoke of 'really exciting times' and how 'we have moved this project on hugely'. He said Independent councillors such as himself and cllrs Pepper and Sutcliffe, who won seats on Dublin City Council last year, were using them to 'push forward our message that this country should be run by its people for its people'. Former MMA fighter Conor McGregor posted a video of himself and his family at the Garden of Remembrance in advance of the anti-immigration protest. In a post on X, Mr McGregor said it was 'a big day here for our country' and that the rally was to commemorate 'the valiant heroes who went before us'. He said the protest was also to 'shine our light on the failure of Ireland's Government and our full disapproval of it'. However, he did not address the crowd or take any visible part in the protest once it started.
