Plans for protests at Donald Trump's Irish visit grow
US president Donald Trump has been branded dangerous and a menace to democracy by the Labour Party, which is urging the public to protest at his visit to Ireland.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said that normal diplomatic protocols did not apply to Mr Trump, whose conduct was “so far below the threshold of decency” he had “lost the privilege of red-carpet treatment”.
Mr Howlin urged people to harness the spirit of 2003, when more than 100,000 marched in opposition to the Iraq War.
Now is another time where people from all walks of life need to raise their voices together,” he said.
The backlash to the announcement that Mr Trump intends coming to Ireland while in Europe for Armistice Day commemorations in November has grown over the weekend.
Two ministers, Finian McGrath and John Halligan of the Independent Alliance, said they would boycott any official engagements with Mr Trump and join opposition demonstrations instead. Fine Gael senator Catherine Noone described Mr Trump as a “misogynist” whose visit would be a “headache” for the Government.
People Before Profit TDs said they were already in touch with a ragne of groups to organise mass protests. Mr Howlin said his party would also “actively oppose” the visit, “working with likeminded people”.
“Under normal circumstances, the president of the USA would be welcomed in Ireland, whether he or she was Democrat or Republican,” he said. “There are deep and permanent bonds of friendship between the peoples of Ireland and the United States that will long outlast the Trump presidency. But we are not in anything like normal circumstances when it comes to this unwelcome visit.”
He said his opposition was based on Mr Trump’s policies on immigration, security, and international relations, his habitual lying, and attitudes towards non-whites, women, and media.
“Trump... has befriended authoritarian leaders while spurning democratically-elected ones, which has real consequences for human rights around the world as tyrants are emboldened to greater oppression of their people or of minorities,” said Mr Howlin.
Trump’s values are not our values and there should be no welcome for this man. We must send a clear signal around the world that dangerous politicians will be opposed by all democratic means. Trump is a menace to democracy and our way of life. Trump is not welcome in Ireland.
Campaign group, United Against Racism called on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to ‘uninvite’ Mr Trump and said it would organise a mass rally if the visit went ahead.
Accusing Mr Trump of racism, sexism, and war-mongering, group organiser Memet Uludag pleaded: “Don’t bring the voice of hatred to this land.”
Fianna Fáil has said that the visit should go ahead but should be used as an opportunity by the Taoiseach to impress upon Mr Trump Irish opposition to his policies.
