Irish authorities are bracing for a significant security operation around US president Donald Trump’s visit next month, with protesters planning several demonstrations.
Protest organisers say they expect a “big, safe event” and a “family-friendly, peaceful protest” in Dublin, with others likely to take place in Co Clare.
“The protest will be under the banner of no welcome for Trump,” said Sara O’Rourke of the Irish Neutrality League, which has organised protests supporting neutrality and against the Government’s plans to abolish the triple lock.
Groups countrywide have been in touch about protests, said O’Rourke, and it is also expected that there will be demonstrations at Shannon Airport and in Doonbeg, where the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel will be hosting the Irish Open during the US president’s visit.
RM Block
The visit seems certain to cause security headaches for the Irish authorities, who are likely to face demands from the US about safeguarding Trump.
While no details have been confirmed about the visit, it is expected that the president will arrive in Dublin on the morning of Saturday, September 12th and meet Taoiseach Micheál Martin – most likely at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park – before travelling to Doonbeg for the Irish Open.
There have been reports that Trump may turn the sod at the site of the new US embassy in Ballsbridge, though nothing has been confirmed. Similarly, it is not yet clear if he will pay a courtesy call to President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin. Connolly has been a fierce critic of Trump but said during the election campaign last year that she would meet him if required. The US embassy declined to comment.
There have been two online protest co-ordination meetings in recent weeks with a third planned for next week. The protests are also being co-ordinated by the Irish Anti-War Movement, a long-standing campaigning group headed by People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett.
TDs from the Social Democrats, Sinn Féin and some Independents are also supporting the demonstrations, as are the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, United Against Racism and Rosa, the socialist feminist group.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said: “Popular opposition to Trump’s militarism, racism and misogyny will be visible on the streets.”
Labour MEP for Dublin Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said: “I’m confident the people of Dublin will show their disdain for Trump and his politics ... Trump will not visit the capital without opposition from ordinary Dubliners.”
O’Rourke added that for the Irish Neutrality League, the Government’s plans to remove the triple lock – a mechanism that means Irish troops cannot be deployed overseas without three conditions being met, one of which is a UN request – would also be a focus for the demonstrations.
The Government says that the requirement for a UN resolution effectively means that the permanent members of the UN Security Council – including Russia, China and the US – have a veto over Irish peacekeeping missions. The long-standing mission in Lebanon is due to reach the end of its UN mandate at the end of this year.
