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THOUSANDS GATHERED IN Dublin on Saturday afternoon to march in solidarity with an Ireland For All demonstration, organised by a coalition of over 100 community groups, unions and political parties.
The march, which began at Parnell Square and ended outside the Custom House, commanded a significant turnout, with crowds of people stretching from the south end of O’Connell St back to the Garden of Remembrance. Gardaí at the march were unable to provide The Journal with an estimate of the crowd size.
Speakers at the event included Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, who told the crowd it was wrong to say that Ireland has no room for refugees when the island’s population remains lower than pre-famine levels.
“Our crisis is not that we have no room,” said Devlin McAliskey. “It’s that we have a crisis of humanity, a crisis of capitalism, a crisis of greed, prejudice and ignorance that needs sorting.”
Leon Diop, creator of the Black and Irish organisation, also addressed the crowd, saying “The far-right are playing on people’s fears to shift the blame for these longstanding issues onto refugees, and that is absolutely wrong. It is the government’s fault. We need to replace this culture of fear and frustration with a culture of empathy.”
Discontent with the Government was a common theme among speakers. Dr Salome Mbugua, founder of Akidwa, a national network of migrant women living in Ireland, said: “The issue of housing has been there for many years. Ask the government to deal with that. They should be going to demonstrate at the Dáil, not at asylum-seeking houses.”
Memet Uludag, Chair of United Against Racism, referenced societal problems such as the housing crisis and cost of living, saying: “We are not to blame, but the government is.”
Speakers also pled for an end to anti-immigration demonstrations that in some cases have involved asylum-seekers being intimidated.
“The impact that these protests are having, it’s very huge. It’s scary to the people who are in these centres, it’s scary to the children who are afraid, who ask ‘When they come to us, will they come and shoot us?’ It’s very bad,” said Lucky Khambule, co-founder of Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland.
“Hate, lies, and racism are not going to build us better hospitals,” Uludag said.
Some of those in the crowd were not seasoned protestors, with two women telling The Journal that it was their first time to take part in a protest of any kind.
“I think this is a really important issue. I hate to think of underlying racism being given voice and an opportunity to express itself, so I want to show that there’s a lot of Irish people who stand against that,” said one.
“I’ve never marched in my life,” said the other. “But I’m marching today because it’s so important.”
During the event, iconic Irish folk singer Christy Moore sang an a capella rendition of Viva La Quinta Brigada, a song in tribute to Irish soldiers who fought against fascism in the Spanish civil war.
“My primary purpose is to express revulsion for the hatred and violence fomented by a small minority who daily attack those unfortunate people who have come here seeking sanctuary from war, hunger, poverty and oppression,” Moore said.
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I bet the refugees are not put into their areas
@Pauline Cahill: what areas would they be??
@Pauline Cahill: what a stu&@d comment
@Pauline Cahill: Ballymum Community groups were there, Finglas Community groups were there, East Wall Community groups were there, joining all of the anti racism individuals and groups…
@Pauline Cahill: Eh? Where should they be put?
@Graham Crosby: Where do you think they put them Stupid comment
@Pauline Cahill: I have a hostel full of refugees 50 metres from my building and I would rather have 2 more of those than being anywhere near ignorant, bitter racist fools. This very same hostel has been severely damaged by some idiot with a hammer who repeatedly tried to smash the thankfully very tough glass, it’s cracked in 5 spots but didn’t break.
I’ve opened my home to a refugee from Syria in the past and would gladly do it again. This was 8 years ago and we’re still in touch, he went on to being a successful photographer in Germany.
The only minority that should never be welcomed anywhere is hate and fear mongers and fascist agitators.
@Rui Firmino: Well said.
Interesting video on social media. Lots of protesters asked to sign up to house an unverified migrant and all refused.. action speaks louder than marching and empty rhetoric. Let’s get real about this issue. Everyone in favour of housing migrants in your area contact the government. And stop the sham of marching
@Tony Lewis: doesn’t sound like a particularly interesting video
@Tony Lewis: @Ciaran Forde: interesting way of changing hearts and minds, doorstep them to within an inch of their fluffy comfortable lives.
@Tony Lewis: so because we want to see our taxes go to help people in need we should also have strangers sharing our homes? How about the ‘Irish first’ brigade
@Tony Lewis: so because we want to see our taxes go to help people in need we should also have strangers sharing our homes? How about the ‘Irish first’ brigade, have they all invited the Irish homeless to live with them?
“Ireland is not full as the population is lower than pre famine numbers”……So are we supposed to set up sod roofed ramshackle dwellings on every crossroad in the country. What a weak argument, absolute nonsense statement…..
@antisocialbarber: Let me help you here. Compared to other countries Ireland is sparsely populated. Compared to Ireland other countries talk in a lot more people per Capita. Most of these people do not want to be here. They’d rather be at home. Demonizing them shames the history and people of Ireland who struggled through the ages against prejudice and discrimination. They struggled to survive, for their families. Most of these people are in the same situation.
@Misty Eyed Mutton: So we welcomed c100,000 refugees in 2022, only the population of Galway city in one year but as you say, Ireland is sparsely populated so what not another 100,000 in 2023, wh Misty? That would bring it up to the population of Cork City in 2 years. Then if/when Serbia starts a war with Kosovo, the poor Kosovans who don’t want to come to Ireland will find a warm welcome here. Then the climate refugees from sub-Saharan Africa in the 2030s….as you say Ireland is empty let’s welcome everyone, eh Misty! Yay!
@Misty Eyed Mutton: I was commenting on the ridiculous statement. I’m pro immigration and helping Ukrainian displaced people.
You’re obviously still full of adrenaline from your marching today. Cool the jets please. Lots of virtue signaling going on at the moment. Try not to get too swept up…..
@Misty Eyed Mutton: yet on video a group of protesters today advocating for the refugees when asked to sign up to house one not one person signed and a one person abused the person asking the question. Action speaks louder than words etc etc
@antisocialbarber: Everybody worked on the land ,lived on the land and died on the land back then. Farmers are a minority in this country atm. we are mostly all urbanites now so comparing now to the famine era is a complete cop out.
@antisocialbarber: can’t , Ryan banned turfcutting so no sod shacks
@blue exile: Exactly. You said it better than me
@ed w: Maybe we can import German/European turf products. Seems to be a common practice for a certain fuel retailer
@Rob Dowling: catastrophise much?
Sure you can protest for what you believe is right, but here are the facts: at the last Sunday Independent survey asking if Ireland has taken too many refugees, only 30% said No.
A vast majority think we cannot accommodate mass immigration at present.
one question for the organisers of todays march. if refugees/migrants assylum seekers are all welcome, where are we putting them ??
@blue exile: any more ultra simplistic questions?
Are the slogans which were used on this march really correct? Ireland cannot literally take all comers. To do so would be unsustainable. I would have liked to see some acceptance, by the organisers, that numbers of Ukrainians may have to be limited for a period, and that wages in low-paid jobs can be depressed by large scale immigration.
A crisis of a community so squeezed by the government they do not have a moment spare to think beyond providing for their families, let alone supporting others. It’s a tragedy that paye workers are no better off than 1980’s Ireland, at least back then there were options to go abroad, but now those places don’t have the same opportunities. The government know this and it’s why they will not help the folk that keep this country running. Then there’s the constant negative micromanagement by employers. You’d be ready to retire before you’re 50 in this country due to total burn out, but will be lucky if that happens before 70, if you live that long.
Punch up, don’t kick down. It’s not the ones suffering below you that are causing the problems, it’s those with power at the top.
@Diarmuid Hunt: What does that even means We are talking about economic migrants coming into and destroying their ID so we dont know who they really are and abusing the asylum process .
@Robert Preston: Are they the root of the issue?
@Diarmuid Hunt: No but they are making the problem worse . Anyone that comes to Ireland and destroys their ID is up to no good . Why would you want to conceal your past .
“All immigrants are welcome apart from the British ones who have lived here for centuries”–Bernadette McAliskey
@Patrick Condon: learn your history the Norman’s were invited into Ireland which in turn lead to the English coming we were never invaded by the English
@Larry O Reilly: so, as per, well history what was the “The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland that took place during the late 12th century”?
@Larry O Reilly: Patrick posted a quote, I didn’t check to see whether it’s true or not but you’re telling Patrick something that needs to be said to Bernadette.
@Ruairí Bulger: unfortunately you are also wrong the Anglo-Norman were invited to Ireland to help Dermot Mc Muragh regain his lands in Leinster a Knight ref to as Strongbow or Richard de Clare came to Ireland with the promise of marriage to Dermot Mc Muragh daughter who he did indeed marry at the Rock of Donamse in kildare and upon Dermot death became King of Leinster if you require any further information let me know
@Diarmuid Hunt: why
@Larry O Reilly: Why didn’t I check it or why are you telling someone to learn their history based on something they didn’t say but quoted due to the fact that person was mentioned in the article?
@Diarmuid Hunt: before someone comment they should know there facts not speculate
@Larry O Reilly: Eh… Cromwell maybe? Eh? Queen Elizabeth 1 and plantations… I must be missing something
@Larry O Reilly: Eh… Larry… That wedding was in Waterford, and the Rock of Dunamase is in Laois.
The country is toxic, entirely caused by senior civil servants and Europe(you couldn’t credit the politicians with anything, they’ll admit if asked they actually have no authority on anything other than a bit of tarmac and a hedge cut).
@Fintan Stack: They do have authority in immigration matters:
1) INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION ACT 2015: International Protection is inadmissible if you come from a SAFE Country, e.g. Georgia, Algeria, Somalia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe. (60%+ of our migrants).
2) AMSTERDAM TREATY: Ireland has No EU obligation to take in migrants. No sanctions for not taking them.
3) DUBLIN III REGULATIONS: Migrants travelling to Ireland via another EU country can be sent back to this country for processing.
Childish love messages from this group Is not the way to go about fixing our crisis IM sorry and I feel this movement of love and solidarity while it speaks to everyone on a day to day level as who would not want that right ..?
But the facts remain AND we First have to tackle OUR CRISIS ….we cannot keep going about this matter without solutions and concrete answers or else we will get no where at all ….
Time to take off the rose tinted glasses and put it to a people vote and let the IRISH majority have there say once and for all it’s the only way out of all this entanglement because I don’t see how it’s possible to keep welcoming the world when we are already are in a crisis we have got to be real and make real decisions on OUR future as a country
We are not to blame headline is an oxymoron. Who but Irish people are harassing the refugees and immigrants?
‘A crisis of capitalism’? Many of the IFA protesters there where very…very well heeled. I wonder how that phrase went down?
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