Thousands of people took part in an anti-immigration rally in Dublin city centre on Saturday, alongside a smaller counter-demonstration.
Both passed off without any major incidents with gardaí acting as a cordon between both groups on O’Connell Street.
The anti-immigration protest, described by organisers as an Easter Rising commemoration to pay respect to “those who fought and gave their lives to preserve the Irish nation and create the Irish Republic” began at 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square.
United Against Racism, supported by a number of organisations and members of Opposition parties including Sinn Féin, Labour, People Before Profit, the Social Democrats, the Socialist Party and the Green Party, hosted a counter-protest at the nearby GPO at 1.30pm.
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A large number of gardaí were present throughout the afternoon, including the Garda Public Order Unit, Air Support Unit and Mounted Support Unit.
The anti-immigration protest saw those gathered carrying Tricolour flags, wearing green “Make Ireland Great Again” caps and shouting slogans including “get them out” and “Sinn Féin are traitors”. Some carried signs which stated “Irish Lives Matter”, with copies of the 1916 Proclamation handed out.
There were some hostile and aggressive interactions between protestors as the anti-immigration rally passed by the anti-racism demonstration at the GPO.
The United Against Racism demonstration saw those gathered carry signs reading “Stand Against Racism” while chanting “refugees are welcome” and “whose streets - our streets”.
The anti-immigration protest travelled down to Custom House Quay with speakers including Dublin City councillors Malachy Steenson, Gavin Pepper and Philip Sutcliffe and Fingal councillor Patrick Quinlan.
Anti-immigration activists including Hermann Kelly from the Irish Freedom Party and Philip Dwyer were also present.
Cllr Steenson spoke of “really exciting times” and how “we have moved this project on hugely”.
He said Independent councillors such as himself and cllrs Pepper and Sutcliffe, who won seats on Dublin City Council last year, were using them to “push forward our message that this country should be run by its people for its people”.
Cllr Steenson also said the biggest day of the year had been “St Patrick’s Day in the White House”.
“It doesn’t matter who the messenger is - it’s the message,” he said. “That message was brought very clearly to Irish-Americans… We are now calling out to our friends and family in America and throughout the world - look at what is happening here. Sixteen million follow Tucker Carlson, 10 million follow Conor McGregor, that is a huge reach that we couldn’t get without those two people.”
Cllr Pepper said Irish people “come first in our own country” and that it was “time for mass deportation”. He said people were gathered because they were “sick of the Government treating us like crap” and that “people can’t get by in this country” struggling with bills, rent and mortgage payments.
“We’ve had enough of it and the people in Leinster House are just not listening,” he said. “We’re bringing in thousands and thousands of people and putting them up in hotels while our own people are being left to rot. We have over 15,500 people in emergency accommodation, they come first.”
He added that those present needed to ensure their children were registered to vote and that “we don’t need big posh people to come and represent the working class”.
Cllr Pepper also claimed that politicians in Leinster House “don’t care about you” and to “call them out on the street when you see them”.
Cllr Sutcliffe said those gathered were “getting put down day by day by the people put in to represent us”.
“The Government does not represent the people of Ireland… Let it be heard - up the Irish,” he said.
Former MMA fighter McGregor posted a video of himself and his family at the Garden of Remembrance ahead of the anti-immigration protest.
In a post on X, McGregor said it was “a big day here for our country” and that the rally was to commemorate “the valiant heroes who went before us” .
He said the protest was also to “shine our light on the failure of Ireland’s Government and our full disapproval of it”.
