A demonstration protesting U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland drew over five thousand supporters outside Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance yesterday, with the event being organised by a broad coalition of progressive organisations under the banner of Stop Trump Ireland. Speakers included representatives from groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), who shared the platform with a number of other campaigners, activists and TDs.
The demonstration proceeded to march down O’Connell Street, where one of the protestors told LookLeft Magazine why they had decided to attend the rally.
“We don’t want to see imperialist warmongers welcomed into this country by our Taoiseach. Like most if not all American presidents before him, that’s exactly what Trump is.”
Also cited was the continued complicity of the Irish government in U.S. war crimes, by allowing American military aircraft to use Shannon Airport as a stop-off point as they make their way to wage war around the world.
“Even though he wants to seem like a trendy and modern Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar has welcomed Trump into this country while staying silent on the fact that the Americans use Ireland as a stop-off point on their way to bomb men, women and children in the Middle East. He could try and stop this, but like every Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil government, he doesn’t.”
The day before this event took place, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) held a vigil outside of the U.S. Embassy in Ballsbridge, which was supported by a number of groups including Workers’ Party Youth and the Connolly Youth Movement. Although less well attended, the demonstration gained the attention of passersby, many of whom inquired as to what the protest was about before joining.
