While Ireland has long been one of the most pro-migration countries in Europe, massive demographic changes have seen the public turn against the open borders agenda favoured by liberal elites in Dublin. A survey conducted in April by Amárach Research found that eight in ten in Ireland believe that immigration is too high, with 20 per cent of the population of the country, or over one million people, being foreign-born, up from 420,000 in 2006.
One of the largest anti-mass migration protests to date took place in Dublin on Monday as protesters decried the open borders agenda of the neo-liberal Irish government.
Bearing signs reading “Ireland belongs to the Irish”, “Irish Civil Rights”, “Mass deportations”, “Economic Migrants are not refugees”, and “Irish Lives Matter”, among others were seen as thousands took to the streets of Dublin as anti-migration sentiment continues to grow across the Emerald Isle, The Journal reports.
Videos and photographs from the march show a large crowd marching down O’Connell Street holding a variety of placards and signs. The crowd were also holding Irish flags, and chanted ‘Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole’ at one point.
They also chanted “out, out, out” and “our streets”.
Protestors held signs saying “Ireland belongs to the Irish”, “Irish Civil Rights”, “Stop the WHO pandemic treaty”, “Mass deportations”, “Economic Migrants are not refugees” and “Irish Lives Matter”, among others.
Local groups from Coolock and Newtownmountkennedy – where protests have been staged recently against buildings being used to house international protection applicants – were also represented.
Dublin, Ireland — A large crowd gathers in the capital to protest against the surge of illegal migrants pouring into the country. Most of the migrants are men from the Middle East and Africa who smuggle themselves through Western Europe to get to Ireland. pic.twitter.com/gPANCsWkCv
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) May 6, 2024
There were also placards referencing a “plantation” of Ireland.
A number of far-right political parties and figures were also present, with protestors marching behind banners for the National Party and representatives from other parties addressing the crowd.
IRA-linked Sinn Féin party, with chants of “Sinn Féin are traitors”. The pro-Irish unification party has increasingly come under criticism for broadly aligning itself with the government on migration, rather than backing stricter controls or opting out of the EU asylum policy.
Speaking from the protest, Irish Freedom Party leader Hermann Kelly told GB News: “I think Sinn Féin have been exposed as an open borders mass immigration party. And now that leaves room for a nationalist party like the Irish Freedom Party, which believes in democratic self-determination for the Irish people.
here has been a significant increase in people coming to Ireland to seek international protection. There have also been widespread protests against buildings being converted into asylum seeker accommodation, and a number of arson attacks carried out.
The state has told arriving asylum seekers that they cannot house them, and hundreds have been living in tents as a result. Last week the Government cleared an encampment of asylum seekers that had been set up outside the International Protection Office on Mount Street, but many are no camping at the Grand Canal.
Last month, six people were arrested for public disorder offences, after three garda patrol cars were damaged and a fire was started at one point. Gardaí said they “came under attack” by people gathered at the site.