PROTEST ORGANISER: WE’LL DEFY THE RULES ON COVID-19
Demo will be ‘for families’, says hardliner
THE organiser of an anti-lockdown protest planned for Cork this weekend is defiant that the march will go ahead and has claimed that protesters have a right to break Covid rules.
Left-wing republican Diarmuid Ó Cadhla has insisted that this Saturday’s event will be peaceful and ‘family-friendly’, adding that it is unconnected to the violence in Dublin at the weekend.
The secretary of the People’s
Convention group, which is organising the event, believes the Government is exaggerating the number of Covid-19 deaths.
And in a move that could prove more provocative than instructive, Mr Ó Cadhla warned that he will kick out supporters of right-wing groups like the National Party if they show up on Saturday, but defended protesters’ rights to defy travel restrictions and other public health restrictions.
Mr Ó Cadhla, who is a former Cork county councillor, and has support among dissident republicans, said protesters will defy the 5-kilometre rule to attend, and he will not ‘shepherd’ people to make sure they socially distance at the event. His comments came as gardaí last night said they would investigate anyone suspected of breaching public health guidelines at the planned protest, and will send files to the DPP if required.
Last night, deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn condemned the protest that happened in Dublin at the weekend, saying: ‘What happened cannot be condoned. It shouldn’t have happened. It shouldn’t happen again.’
Dr Glynn said that he would be concerned if these types of protests proliferate in the weeks and months ahead.
Twenty-three people were arrested after hundreds of protesters took part in the anti-lockdown demonstration in Dublin last Saturday which turned violent, and saw one man target gardaí with fireworks. Three officers were injured during the protest, with one requiring hospital treatment for their injuries.
Despite the public backlash to the attacks on gardaí, groups behind the protests are now defiantly pushing ahead with another event in Cork this weekend. They are also planning another gathering
‘The silent majority are fed up’
in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day.
But Dr Glynn urged against repeat demonstrations of this type. ‘The key message from our perspective is: the silent majority in this country are fed up, annoyed and do not want the pandemic to go on for a day longer – but they are sticking with restrictions. They are doing it quietly in their communities,’ he said.
‘That’s the message the majority need to remember when they see the actions of a small minority.’
His warning came as a further 687 Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday, while one additional death of a person infected with the virus was announced.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is to meet Garda representatives this week over last weekend’s clashes in the capital.
Protesters clashed with gardaí as demonstrators marched through the city and attempted to make their way to St Stephen’s Green.
Some 13 people appeared before a special sitting of the Dublin District Court on Saturday night.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has criticised the ‘thuggish behaviour’ and attacks on gardaí.
But Mr Ó Cadhla insisted that this Saturday’s protest in Cork would be a peaceful event and told the Irish Daily Mail he has absolutely no time for right-wing groups such as the National Party, elements of which were connected to last week’s protest in Dublin.
Mr Ó Cadhla acknowledged that he had support from hardline dissident republicans, whom he describes as ‘good republicans’.
Showing a flagrant disregard for
Covid restrictions, he said that protesters will ignore the 5km travel restriction to attend Saturday’s event, because their right to protest is more important.
He also said that people can make up their own minds about socially distancing. ‘I am not a man who shepherds people around the place. No offence, but people will make up their own minds to defend their health,’ he said. Mr Ó Cadhla, a former Cork county councillor, was previously jailed for refusing to pay a fine and appeared in court in December for defacing Cork street signs that were named after Queen Victoria. He told the Mail: ‘The 5km thing doesn’t apply in this case. People are exercising fundamental human rights. The 5km doesn’t overrule that.’
He added that he would expect the gardaí ‘to carry out their duties’ on the day but that people’s right to protest must overcome the travel restrictions.
He also claimed that the Covid death numbers are deliberately being exaggerated by the Government, which is misleading the Irish public.
He claimed that the number of people dying in Ireland went down in 2020, not up and that there is statistical data to prove it. Cork
Fine Gael councillor, Damian Boylan, has said the planned protest in Cork is unacceptable and that he is liaising with members of the city’s joint policing committee ahead of the event.
A Garda spokesman said in a statement last night the force has no role in granting permission for any public event but said it will act on Saturday if required.