A resounding message was sent out on Saturday (2 Sep 2023) in Cork that ordinary people will no longer tolerate fascists and racists attacking and intimidating library staff.
In response to a mobilisation by the Far Right to hold a rally outside the City Library, over 300 people took up position from 8:30am to ensure that the racists and fascists could not approach the entrance. This position was held until 5:30pm when the library closed, thus ensuring that it remained open for the public to use throughout the day without fear of intimidation. The so-called ‘rally’ by the racists and fascists consisted of between 70-80 people, with many observed to have arrived from outside Cork on buses. They were outnumbered and drowned out by the forces of the Left who made their presence felt through chants, songs, and inspirational speeches.
The lesson from Cork is that the Left can deny the Far Right their goal of having a dominant presence on our streets. The success last Saturday was ensured by close co-operation of anti-fascist forces, together with a disciplined and co-ordinated approach on how best to counter the Far Right. This focus must be maintained in light of the on-going threat posed by Far-Right attempts to publicly mobilise. Saturday was a success in Cork. We need to learn the lessons and apply them every time the Far Right rears its ugly head.
People Before Profit salutes the efforts of all involved. No Pasaran.
Gript and Free Speech Ireland are having a conference on Free Speech in the RDS on Saturday September 16th. They say ‘many are deeply concerned over the state of free speech and encroaching censorship in our country’. But the only speech they want to defend is the speech of the right and far right to attack minority groups such as refugees and LGBTQI+ people. Gript is silent on many of the restrictions on free speech and has said nothing about the attacks on library workers like this.
Call them out:
PROTEST FREE SPEECH HYPOCRITES
DEFEND OUR LIBRARIES
SATURDAY 16.09.2023 12 PM
RDS Main Entrance, Merrion Road, Dublin
(Photo: Jimi Cullen FB)
