The Ireland For All group whose anti-racist message brought tens of thousands of people to protest in Dublin on Saturday said it marked the beginning of a new movement with more events to follow.
According to the organisation, about 50,000 people turned out, signalling not just a rejection of the recent escalation in anti-migrant demonstrations, but calls for diversity, tolerance and improved services.
“We’re not going away,” said organiser Steph Hanlon. “I think definitely this is the beginning of a mass people-powered movement for diversity and against division but also really underpinned by social and economic justice for everyone.”
Ms Hanlon is also a convenor at Le Chéile, an organisation that emerged to counter right-wing agendas during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and one of the dozens of groups affiliated with Saturday’s march.
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Its scale took some by surprise and was generally interpreted as a mass rejection of emerging anti-asylum seeker and refugee sentiment.
For Ms Hanlon, the crowds helped undermine a key argument of anti-migrant events where such views are presented as being those of the “90 per cent”.
“This was just such a massive, excellent, excellent way to just completely debunk those ridiculous claims,” she said. “Having 50,000 people come out on to the streets.”
Although some form of counterprotest was expected, nothing significant came to pass. On Monday, a Garda spokesman confirmed no arrests had been made in connection with Saturday’s activities, and neither were there any notable incidents.
Aside from activists, the march was a boon to immigrants in Ireland, many of whom felt threatened by the recent atmosphere.
“To us as people who are directly affected by the hate and racism that is thrown at us and people in Direct Provision, it was a clear message of support,” said Lucky Khambule, founder of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland group, another of the numerous organisations involved.
“It directly restored hope that even though they are faced with people that keep on coming to them and shouting and doing all that, the vast majority of the people of Ireland do not share the same sentiments. They are welcoming.”
The event was aimed in part at dispelling certain untruths and scare tactics relating to migrants. Orla O’Connor, director of partner organisation the National Women’s Council (NWC), said one of those included the spectre of young immigrant men posing a threat to communities.
Noting the contribution of NWC’s head of campaigns Rachel Coyle, Ms O’Connor said “the vast majority of violence perpetrated against women in Ireland is by someone who’s known to them. That’s the facts. And these [right-wing] groups are putting out things that just aren’t factually correct, to instil fear.”
The diversity of those attending on Saturday was also considered important. People Before Profit noted a crowd comprising a broad cross-section of ages, genders and ethnicities, with communities from counties countrywide.
The dozens of affiliate organisations included NGOs, charities, trade unions, community and other groups. It also protested wanting social services and sought to firmly frame those broader perceived problems as the fault of the Government and not migrants.
“I got a sense on Saturday of a shared sense of purpose among people who don’t know each other,” said Niall Shanahan, spokesman for Forsa, one of many trade unions involved. “And all there for one reason: to convey a message of solidarity and of support and of hope.”
