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AN ANTI-IMMIGRATION DEMONSTRATION and a countering anti-racism rally were held in Dublin city today.
O’Connell Bridge was closed for a time this afternoon as the gardaí erected extensive barriers to separate the two crowds.
The United Against Racism rally began at the Central Plaza on Dame Street, marching through the city to O’Connell Bridge at around 2pm.
Several protesters carried signs saying: “Blame the Government, not migrants”; and: “Dublin stands against racism”. They also chanted: “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.”
The anti-immigration protest marched down O’Connell Street and turned left at O’Connell bridge before continuing along the quays.
Participants from both sides shouted and gestured towards each other from across the empty space between the barriers created by gardaí.
At one point, the anti-racism rally chanted at the anti-immigration group: “You say protect women, that’s a lie” and referenced a photo being carried by one person of MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who lost a civil trial where Dublin woman Nikita Hand accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel.
The anti-immigration group, which was the larger of the two, was thick with large tricolour flags.
It chanted “ole ole” and: “Whose streets? Our streets”.
Several people were seen wearing “Make Ireland Great Again” green caps and holding US or “Trump” flags, and some signs critical of RTÉ.
At one point, the famous rebel song “Oro ‘Se do bheatha ‘bhaile” was played by the anti-racism rally over a speaker, and prompted some participants in the anti-immigration group to sing along and applaud at the end.
There was an extensive garda presence at the location where the two protest groups were due to cross paths.
The Garda Mounted Support Unit, the Public Order Unit, and garda members from outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region were in attendance.
One garda member was heard telling a member of the public he could not give directions as he was brought in from a region outside Dublin to police the protest.
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