An arrest has been made in connection with an assault on an activist outside the Dáil last month. Izzy Kamikaze was struck on the head by a protestor carrying a piece of wood draped in the Irish flag. The LGBTQI+ activist had been there, along with a small group, to observe a far-right rally that was taking place.
The month prior a group of counter-protestors were attacked by a far-right mob during an anti-mask rally at the Custom House in Dublin.
Assault
The Beacon has learned that the gardaí arrested a man earlier this afternoon in connection with the assault on Kamikaze. It’s alleged that he is being charged with assault causing harm, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The man is being held overnight in Pearse Street Garda Station.
He is due to appear in the Criminal Courts of Justice in the morning where the suspect is expected to be remanded on bail.
In a video of the assault a large group of men can be seen approaching the small group of observers which included Kamikaze. A man in the crowd then hit the activist over the head with a piece of wood resulting in a head wound. She was later taken to hospital for treatment.
Gardaí made no arrests at the time of the assault.
A “ridiculous narrative”
Speaking to The Beacon Kamikaze said she was “pleased that an arrest has been made”. But she also pointed to the fact that in the aftermath of the attack the far right began spreading a conspiracy theory that it was faked. Calling the theory “ludicrous”, the activist went on to highlight that:
Hundreds of new Twitter accounts were set up just to perpetrate that ridiculous narrative.
Kamikaze also noted that the anti-lockdown rallies have attracted a lot of “poorly informed people” who don’t realise the extent of the far right’s involvement. But after the assault, she believes that it “has been a turning point for many of those people”. And she declared that she’s “grateful they are beginning to see the light”.
Regarding the suspect arrested earlier today, Kamikaze said “I believe the case will be successfully prosecuted”. And, overall, she argued:
It’s not nice to be subjected to an unprovoked attack, but at least I can be grateful for the good that has come from it. No pasaran!
Biased policing
The gardaí have been criticised in recent months in relation to their policing of far-right protests. During an anti-mask, far-right rally at the Custom House in Dublin in August, a number of counter-protestors were assaulted.
A large crowd of far-right activists could be seen chasing and assaulting the counter-protestors in video posted online by The Beacon.
Members of the gardaí responded by policing the counter-protestors. A person in attendance told The Beacon that gardaí “sided with the far-right protest”. And that they had stopped the counter-protestors from picking up a woman who had fallen as a result of excessive force by the gardaí.
Featured image via Screenshot
Excellent news.
Demolishes the deluded belief these scuts had that the gardai were actually secretly on their side.
That little boy who like to attack an unarmed woman is crying his eyes at the moment.