ACTIVISTS SPEAKING AHEAD of tomorrow’s Ireland For All march in Dublin have spoken about the need to “build a better Ireland for all of us”.
The demonstration, which kicks off at 1.30pm at Parnell Square on Saturday, comes amid a wave of anti-immigration demonstrations across the country, as well as incidents under investigation by the Gardaí, such as an attack on a tenting site in Ashtown, and the burning of a building in Dublin.
The march involves a broad coalition of over two hundred organisations, unions and political parties. The core message of the demonstration is a call to provide adequate public services for all in Ireland, including new arriving, refugee and migrant communities.
Speaking at the press conference on Friday morning, Chair of United Against Racism Memet Uludag said: “It is not good enough to see rising homelessness numbers in 21st century Ireland, it is not good enough that hospitals are crumbling away and that the health service is under huge stress, and it is not good enough to give lip-service to these public services.
“We are calling on the government to deal with these societal issues which have been a reason why many people in communities are angry. But we reject hate, racism and anger, and that anger needs to be directed at those responsible for running this country, not the most vulnerable sections of our communities, not to people of colour, not to migrants, not to immigrants, not to women, not to LGBTQ people,” Uludag said.
Dr Salome Mbugua, Director of Akidwa, member of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, called on Irish people to “reject the abuse and division brought about by a few people out there. People have the right to have a life free from here.”
Dr Mbugua called on the government to develop an action plan on racism, and to introduce hate crime legislation.
All speakers also referenced the deep anxieties currently felt by migrant communities and communities of colour in Ireland.
“As a black, proud, Irish woman, I am scared. I have a lot of anxiety now. I’m always watching my back because I don’t know who’s behind me, and having all these protests that are shared on social media, with people saying things like ‘Get them out’, it worries me,” Ramatoulaye Kaloga of the I-Save Erasmus Project with the Scoop Foundation told The Journal.
Echoing fears over the heightened state of tension, Ellie Kisyombe, who is a direct provision activist and co-founder of Our Table said, “What if someone knows me? What if someone knows my address? There is so much fear. I wake up every morning and I don’t know what’s going to happen at the end of the day.”
Former asylum seeker Kisyombe said “For the past few months it has been very, very terrifying to see men and women living in hotels being threatened by men outside their residential homes. As a mam, raising my kids in Ireland, I am not retiring now. I am marching with many others to continue to pressure the government.”
Asked by The Journal whether the government had expressed explicit support for tomorrow’s march, Uludag said “I don’t think any government political parties have endorsed this. I’m not necessarily surprised by that.”
High profile musicians, such as Christy Moore, have also lent their support to the march. The Irish folk singer will be performing as part of the demonstration, as will artists such as Maverick Sabre, Zeztro, Smilez, Steo Wall and Adam Mohamed. The march will head from Parnell Square to the Customs House.
Uludag took care to strike a hopeful tone ahead of tomorrow’s march. “We will have a day of a different narrative. An Ireland for all, we want homes for all, we want services for all, we reject hate, and we celebrate diversity.”
“It is a true representation of what Ireland is about… We want to celebrate with a very peaceful, family-friendly, joyful event full of music.”
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