‘We’ll revive spirit of O’Connell to protest Donald Trump visit’

POLITICAL parties and campaign groups are planning to get 100,000 people to gather in O’Connell Street for a rally against Donald Trump.

They hope to replicate the success of large-scale ‘monster meetings’ in the 19th century organised by political leader Daniel O’Connell.

Such a plan was drawn up yesterday at a meeting in Leinster House of the Labour Party and the Greens, with socialist deputies already on board.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said: ‘This country originated the monster meeting two centuries ago – we gave it to the world.

‘We have to reclaim it, and show the US president the scale of opposition to his policies. We Irish wrote the textbook on how big rallies can be done.’

Richard Boyd Barrett organised a meeting of minority groups at a Dublin hotel yesterday and said activists were ‘buzzing’ at the prospect of ‘mobilising tens upon tens of thousands of people’ in protest at the US president.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin confirmed he separately met the leader of the Green Party regarding the November’s visit of Mr Trump to Ireland.

He said: ‘We have agreed to co-ordinate a public rally for democracy, decency and international solidarity on the occasion of the visit of President Trump.

‘We need to take a stand against President Trump’s rejection of the Paris Agreement on climate change and his unscientific rejection of the grave dangers posed by global warming.

‘Trump’s attacks on fair and balanced international trade are destructive to world prosperity and the capacity of countries to develop.’

The rally is expected to happen on Saturday, November 10.