Calls to protect library staff from harassment from far right agitators over LGBTQ+ books

Library workers in Cork have called on the city council’s management to protect them in their workplace from harassment and intimidation by a small group of far right agitators.

Staff have been confronted and seen books from the library’s collection of LGBTQ+ material for young adults torn apart in recent times.

More than 500 people, including current and retired library staff, members of the LGBTQ+ community and others, marched from the Central Library on the Grand Parade to Cork City Hall in a demonstration organised by the Fórsa trade union to highlight the issue.

Richy Carrothers, head of Fórsa’s local government and local services division, told the rally at City Hall that council management needs to act to ensure library workers can go to work free from fear and harassment by a small minority.

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[ Libraries issued with instructions for securing buildings as protesters try to remove LGTBQ+ books for young people ]

“Cork City Council management are responsible for this situation because of their failure to act,” he said. “Firstly, we want management to carry out an immediate, independent, detailed risk assessment about the threat posed in libraries in Cork city and in the Grand Parade in particular.

“Secondly, we want them to talk to An Garda Síochána as a matter of urgency about what emergency measures and response measures will be put in place to protect workers when the far right (agitators) turn up at libraries and harass and intimidate our members.

“Thirdly, we want Cork City Council to update the library bylaws to enable them to seek legal avenues to possibly injunct people in order to keep people out of public buildings if they’re not willing to behave in a normal, reasonable, acceptable fashion.”

Mr Carrothers said nobody would accept that “sticking camera phones in the faces of library workers and make the most vile slurs against them, called them ‘groomers’ and ‘paedophiles’ as they go about their duties in their workplace, is a reasonable form of protest”.

“Workers deserve to be safe. They deserve to be in a place which is free from fear, harassment and intimidation as do service users who visit the library so our message to Cork City Council management today is – protect public servants and protect public services,” he added.

Mr Carrothers said he was very pleased at the turn out at the solidarity rally, which was supported by all political parties on Cork City Council with public representatives from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, the Green Party, Labour, Solidarity and the Workers Party in attendance.

A small group of mounted a counter protest to highlight their concerns about the LGBTQ+ books available in Grand Parade, but it drew only around 20 people.

In a statement, council management said that Cork City Library’s health and safety risk assessments had been reviewed again and updated recently following “on-site campaigning by groups opposed to LGBTQ+ reading lists”.

“Library staff took an active role in this review process and new guidelines were issued to all staff. Staff and management meet regularly to discuss the roll-out of procedures and the safety of staff is of the highest importance to city library management,” said council management,” it said.