Thousands of people attended a bank holiday march in Dublin today to call for restrictions on the numbers of people entering the state to claim asylum.
The crowd marched from the Garden of Remembrance to chants of “Who’s Streets? Our streets?” and “Leo, Leo, Leo; Out, Out, Out”.
At Custom House Quay, the march heard from speakers who called on the government to halt immigration, and sang ‘A Nation Once Again’.
Largest anti-immigration protest yet ongoing in Dublin.
This isn't fringe wingnuts anymore but a genuine current in Irish life. https://t.co/AG0gSOmhes
— Thomas O'Reilly (@TOR_EuroCon) February 5, 2024
Thousands of people march against mass migration in front of the Custom House in Dublin, Ireland. https://t.co/1lBrzTVVR9
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) February 5, 2024
Ireland is on the march! #IrelandisFull pic.twitter.com/FPFiSfKrTO
— RM.tv🇮🇪 (@RealMessageEire) February 5, 2024
Many of the people taking part held tricolours, and the amount of GAA county flags from across the country was noticeable in the crowd. There was considerable criticism of Sinn Féin from the crowd.
"Sinn Féin are traitors! Sinn Féin are traitors!"
Crowd of thousands chant their disgust at the complicity of @sinnfeinireland in the replacement of the Irish people in their homeland.
Rebel songs being sung loud.
Follow @TheBurkeanIE for more live updates pic.twitter.com/IBbRSfrcKY
— The Burkean (@TheBurkeanIE) February 5, 2024
One of the organisers of the march, Malachy Steenson, who has been at the forefront of the ongoing opposition to the accommodation centre in East Wall, said that those who had held the counter-protest were ‘yesterday’s men’, and that polls showed those marching for immigration control were in the majority.
Malachy steenson kicks off the speeches at the Custom House. #IrelandBelongsToTheIrish #IrelandisFull pic.twitter.com/bntl2ZZYG9
— Niall O’Hara 🇮🇪 (@ThoughtsToby) February 5, 2024
“We sent a message to the NGOs and the political classes: that we have risen, and we won’t lie down anymore,” Mr Steenson said.
The size of the march and the noticeable absence of Sinn Féin members at the counter-protest – with unconfirmed reports that Dublin members were told not to take part – is a further sign of the shift that has taken place over the issue of immigration control over the past number of months.
Several of the speakers at the Custom House have declared themselves to be candidates in the June local and European elections.
A counter-protest which was organised by People Before Profit attracted an estimated 200 people. Speaking to the crowd, Richard Boyd Barrett said that refugees were welcome in Ireland.
Don't Allow Far-right to blame Refugees for government's crises! Stop Attacks on Refugees! #SayNoToHate #StandUpToTheFarRight https://t.co/k1LVwW6HMU
— Richard Boyd Barrett (@RBoydBarrett) February 5, 2024