Malachy Steenson and various far right groups are planning a demonstration at the Garden of Remembrance, Dublin 1 on this Saturday afternoon, 26th April.
United Against Racism, a coalition of anti-racist organisations, has organised a counter protest against the far right and its agenda at 1.30pm on Saturday, 26th April at the GPO on O'Connell Street. Over 40 organisations and groups have endorsed this counter demonstration.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said 'The far-right are attempting to mobilise with a demonstration in Dublin on Saturday afternoon. I will be attending a United Against Racism counter-demonstration at 1.30pm on Saturday at the GPO.
'The counter demonstration will call out and challenge the far right’s agenda of racism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. It will also call out the Government for causing and perpetuating the housing and other crises that have driven so many people to hopelessness and despair.
'Conor McGregor is one of the most prominent figures on Ireland’s far right. McGregor and the far right talk of protecting women, but McGregor has been found guilty of sexual assault in a civil case brought by Nikita Hand. One of the main aims of the far right is to ban abortion rights as a way to make women "breed more". This is a barbaric agenda. The reality is that McGregor and the far right are a huge risk to women’s rights and to their safety.
'The far right are also a threat to trade union rights and workers’ rights and living standards. Recently, Malachy Steenson, a main organiser of the far right demonstration, spoke out against a planned increase to the minimum wage.
'The United Against Racism demonstration will also call out the Government for causing and intensifying the housing crisis, the shocking lack of resources and supports for those with additional needs, the health and public service crises. The likes of Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan, who are part of the far right milieu, support the Government and want people to blame those seeking asylum instead of blaming the Government and the developers and corporate landlords they represent.
'On Saturday, I will urge people to stand against the far right to defend workers' rights; to say no to violence against women and to defend abortion rights. The crises we face are not caused by immigrants or asylum seekers, it is the Government who are to blame'.