Sinn Féin’s youth wing has tweeted that “Ireland doesn’t want racists,” in reference to the ongoing asylum protests in East Wall.
Three protests, each involving hundreds of people, have taken place in the East Wall area of Dublin in the past week, with locals objecting to an asylum centre in their area.
“Where’s Mary Lou?”: Hundreds of East Wall locals have protested an asylum centre dropped in their area without consultation. Sinn Féin’s silence on the issue was questioned by the crowd in the party leader’s constituency. #gripthttps://t.co/iivd4eeIV9
— gript (@griptmedia) November 21, 2022
All three demonstrations have taken place outside the former ESB building, which the government have converted into an accommodation centre for asylum seekers. The events have received significant media coverage.
"We've heard nothing. They're still waiting on answers everywhere else."
Hundreds protest again in East Wall as locals say they were not consulted about busses of migrants arriving to be housed in the area. Full report to come. #gript pic.twitter.com/fIlcmv94Gt
— gript (@griptmedia) November 21, 2022
Locals have expressed frustration that they were not consulted about dozens of unvetted adult men from Africa and the Middle East being brought in on buses in the middle of the night, which many locals said created unease within the community due to the centre’s proximity with two nearby schools.
"If it's not good enough for where the upper classes live, then it's not good enough for East Wall": Dublin locals react to asylum centre.https://t.co/plHVpJo0bi pic.twitter.com/gtTUhUhXhP
— gript (@griptmedia) November 22, 2022
However, Sinn Féin’s official youth wing, Ógra Shinn Féin, seemed to slam the protesters as “racist” on Twitter in the aftermath of the event.
“Ireland wants refugees – Ireland doesn’t want racists. #SinnÉ,” the group tweeted, yesterday.
Ireland wants refugees.
Ireland doesn’t want racists.#SinÉ
— Ógra Shinn Féin (@Ogra_SF) November 22, 2022
However, according to a 2015 Irish Times/Ipsos poll from during the last migrant crisis – the most recent poll of its kind – the majority of Sinn Féin voters are opposed to Ireland resettling migrants.
Poll: Majority against taking in fleeing migrants http://t.co/YXk7FeF9Un pic.twitter.com/fWlwab6E0S
— The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) May 19, 2015
Sinn Féin voters were found to be the most strongly opposed of any party to Ireland resettling migrants, with more than 70% against the move.
By comparison, Fine Gael supporters were the most supportive, with 61% in favour.
It was also found that poorer and less affluent respondents were more likely to oppose Ireland resettling said migrants.
Overall, 52% of voters said that Ireland should not take asylum seekers, compared to 48% in favour.
Despite this, in 2015, the same year the poll was taken, Sinn Féin said they “would not put an upper limit” on the number of refugees Ireland should accept, and urged the government to house all asylum seekers that arrived in Ireland.
FLASHBACK: During the last migrant crisis, Sinn Féin said they “would not put an upper limit” on the number of refugees Ireland should accept, and urged the government to house all asylum seekers that arrived in Ireland.#gripthttps://t.co/HSOvpYkNxV
— gript (@griptmedia) August 9, 2022
The party reiterated the same call this year, saying “you can’t limit numbers” of Ukrainian refugees that Ireland accepts, even despite the ongoing accommodation crisis.
WATCH: Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said that “you can’t limit numbers” of Ukrainian refugees that Ireland accepts, even despite the accommodation crisis – effectively agreeing with the government’s “no cap” policy.#gripthttps://t.co/orxEJ8fvuX
— gript (@griptmedia) September 15, 2022
The working class area of East Wall – which is located in the constituency of Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald – saw much of the crowd expressing frustration with the Dublin Central TD and her party over their apparent silence on the issue during recent protests.
Several times during an event on Monday, an edited 2020 election poster of McDonald was held in front of the crowd. Where it had previously had the slogan “Working For You,” the poster was modified to read “Not Working For Us – Working For Herself.” As it was held up, it was met with loud boos by the crowd.
https://twitter.com/ChopperMaith/status/1594753533550673923
In addition, Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward said this week that there was “division” being created by “far right” elements within the ongoing protests, adding: “What happened in East Wall was not only disrespectful to the local community, but also disrespectful to the asylum seekers.”
Last night locals held their third protest within a few days, in defiance of Leftwing opposition parties that called on the protests to “stop and stop immediately.”
East Wall locals are driving ahead with another asylum protest tonight, despite opposition parties saying that “these protests need to stop and stop immediately.”#gripthttps://t.co/WzmaPaLgll
— gript (@griptmedia) November 22, 2022