HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE took part in rallies supporting refugees at St Stephen’s Green, as well as the Drimnagh and Clondalkin areas of Dublin today.

An anti-immigration protest outside the Shelbourne Hotel this afternoon was met with a large counter-protest of activists chanting “Refugees are welcome here”, as Gardaí kept both groups separated on opposite sides of the road facing the green.

Counter-protesters also chanted “Same struggle, same fight, housing is a human right” while anti-refugee campaigners held signs reading “Inner city says no”.

Been said a million times and will be said a million times again:
People in Ireland must and do stand in solidarity with refugees here and everywhere.

Say it loud and say it clear! #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/uxunarflrx

— Janet Horner (@JanetPHorner) January 21, 2023

People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith was one of the dozens in attendance at a pro-refugee demonstration in Drimnagh in which activists held banners and signs over a footbridge, reminiscent of a similar rally in Fairview on Wednesday.

The rally at Drimnagh’s Luas stop was not a counter protest but is seemingly a reaction to protests that took place two weeks ago near a local school where refugees had been housed during Christmas.

Since then, community activists, youth workers, political representatives and people living in the area launched ‘Drimnagh For All’ to stand against what they refer to as “the hate and division that has been sown in our community in the last week”.

Bríd Smith via Twitter Bríd Smith via Twitter

The demonstration in Clondalkin took place at the area’s Civic Offices at noon and was attended by dozens.