There was a brief confrontation between roughly 150 anti-fascists and 100 members of the far right at a National Party anti-lockdown rally at the Dáil today. Both groups could be seen attempting to push back the barriers separating them. Gardaí had placed a significant number of barriers along Kildare Street in advance of the rally.
It’s also understood that at least one firework was thrown at the counter-protestors. Gardaí also deployed their batons against the assembled anti-fascists.
During the rally National Party leader Justin Barrett took the time to thank the gardaí, telling them “You are of us and we are of you”.
A banking conspiracy
The rally was organised by National Party activists to protest against the government’s COVID-19 restrictions. Calling on the government to “Let Ireland Live”, the rally heard from known far-right figureheads. Amongst them were Rowan Croft, also known as Grand Torino, and National Party leader Justin Barrett.
Croft, a former British soldier, argued that the counter-protestors “are paid propagandists”. He said that everyone at the rally was there to “Fight for our freedoms” and to uphold the constitution.
Barrett told the crowd that the government is altering the death figures in relation to COVID-19 in order to justify its actions. He also claimed that the virus is part of a wider agenda on the part of “international finance capital” to destroy the world’s economies. Barrett insisted that the “restrictions are here to stay” as part of the economy-destroying agenda.
Policing the far right
In recent weeks the gardaí has been criticised for its handling of anti-mask and far-right rallies that have taken place. But Barrett took the time to thank the gardaí for their work. He said:
You are of us and we are of you.
The National Party leader also said that his organisation is “a party of law and order”. And, given this, once the National Party attains power he will fully fund it to the degree needed to fight crime in Ireland. Barrett insisted that him and his party will “give you the judges needed… and the prisons”.
In advance of today’s rally the administrator of far-right Telegram group called on people attending the rally be on their best behaviour. Citing their good relationship with the gardaí, they wrote:
The Gardaí know the reds are scum, remember the migration compact protest: the Gardaí were having the banter with us, they had their batons out for the reds. We need to maintain that dynamic.
Although the senior levels of the forces are “infiltrated by Orangemen and Freemasons”, the average garda “knows the horrors of multiculturalism” according to the poster. As a result, the far-right protestors should “be polite and cooperate” with the gardaí.
A spokesperson for the gardaí told The Beacon that a man in his 30s has been arrested for a public order offence. He is currently being held in Pearse Street Garda Station. A second man was later arrested, also for public order offences.
Due to rising cases of COVID-19 Ireland is currently under Level 3 restrictions. This only allows for outdoor gatherings of up to 15 people.
When asked if the gardaí is investigating whether the rally and its organisers breached COVID restrictions The Beacon received no comment from the Garda Press Office.
This article was updated on Sunday 11 October to include details about fireworks thrown at counter-protestors by the members of the far-right rally. The gardaí’s use of batons against the anti-fascist demonstrators has also been added.
And the number of arrests made has been updated.
Featured image via Screenshot
Good report overall but some important corrections:
The NP had about 100, agreed but the antifascists had 200.
The NP might have made some token moves towards the barriers but on the whole were very happy to let the Gardaí have a go at the counterprotesters, ie the antifascists.
The Fascists threw 2 flash-bangs into the anti-fascists but the Gardaí carried out no searches for weapons among them (although the Public Order Unit pinned some antifascists into a doorway and searched them, finding nothing). Despite the flash and extremely loud noise, the antifascists appeared undeterred and none scattered from the impact point. The fascists threw some bottles and cans too.
Gardaí used batons on antifascists at some points and threatened them with them during most of the event. They also several times pushed people violently down Molesworth St. away from Leinster House.
The antifascists pursued the NP as they were leaving under Garda escort and the Gardaí drew up additional cordons to screen the NP, e.g on in Dawson St.
The antifascists marched through Dublin city centre shouting “Nazi scum off our streets” and rallied at the GPO before dispersing. A number of passers-by applauded them on the way.
Two observations from yesterday:
Firstly, this was supposed to be a major event for the “National” party. The fact that they could only gather about 100 scuts is proof that Barret and the rest of them are an electoral irrelevance.
Secondly, seeing these scumbags cowering in abject terror behind a line of gardai was hilarious. It confirms what I’ve always said: these shit-stains like to act as big brave men when attacking two women or when the numbers are 10 to 1 in their favour, but as soon as they face any opposition they are revealed as the spineless cowards they actually are.
thanks for the updating. Definitely two flashbangs.
Yes Declan, like the Nazis of the 1930s they do have some courageous fighters but for the most part they like to attack with weapons against unarmed groups (22 August on Custom House Quay), women (half the counter-protest there was female; also in Kildare St. a couple of weeks ago; also a woman knocked to the ground in D’Olier St in August), or when outnumbering (a lone antifascist at the GPO weeks ago) or when closely supported by Gardai (in front of the GPO two weeks before the other incident there, when one came into the antifascist lines, punched a Republican sitting down and was rescued by Gardaí an escorted back to the QAnon lines).
This factor and their Garda protection is one reason why the larger mobilisations are necessary, as has been said repeatedly by those who took part in the smaller mobilisations before now.