PEOPLE IN NEWTOWN in Co Wicklow have once again marched through the town in protest over plans to house asylum seekers at a disused site nearby.
Yesterday’s march reportedly had around 200 attendees but today’s demonstration appeared to be much larger, based on footage and images posted on social media.
Protesters chanted, “Newtown says no” and “Whose streets? Our streets” as they walked carrying Irish flags, banners and signs.
Among the crowd were children and elderly people and many people shouted “Up Newtown” as they walked.
The protesters also chanted that they wanted Newtown “back” as local shopkeepers and passersby applauded the march.
Some locals have expressed concerns about the quality of the planned accommodation facilities, arguing that they are not fit for people to say in, while others simply oppose the presence of asylum seekers in their town.
Once again, a banner referencing a white nationalist conspiracy theory was carried at the head of the march. The banner read: “Ireland is our homeland, we will not be replaced. No plantation, send them back.”
Use of the word “plantation” in reference to buildings and campsites housing asylum seekers is commonly found among those in Ireland who believe in the ‘Great Replacement’ conspiracy theory.
One sign read, “Irish Lives Matter” while a large banner was emblazoned with the words:
“You beat us with batons but you will not break us.”
The scenes shown in videos and photos of today’s and yesterday’s marches are in stark contrast to the violence that erupted in the area on Thursday night.
Newtownmountkennedy has been the site of public disorder and protests in recent weeks that came to a head on Thursday when gardaí made five arrests and used pepper spray on people they said had been trespassing on the site of a disused former school, which has been earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation.
Gardaí had been attempting to escort workers onto the property to make arrangements for asylum seekers to stay there, which protesters attempted to block.
Gardaí said they had “come under attack” by some of those among the group, who included locals and people who had come from further afield.
Videos online showed violent clashes between gardaí and members of the public on Thursday night. Gardaí, with riot shields raised, charged a crowd of angry protesters at the site. A fire was also lit at an outbuilding on the edge of the property.
Four people were charged following arrests made on Thursday, three men and one woman, for offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.
Thursday’s scenes were condemned by the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris as well as senior Government politicians.
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