Human Rights, not Racism: Demo report

national | rights and freedoms | news report Thursday June 23, 2011 11:37 by Residents Against Racism rar.info at yahoo dot ie c/o Connolly Books, 43 East Essex Street, Dublin 2 087 6662060 or 087 9243609

A report from the Residents Against Racism demonstration for Human Rights, not Racism

The march moves off from the Dáil

Over 300 asylum seekers and their supporters braved the driving rain to demonstrate at the Dáil before marching to the Department of Justice. People came from Cork, Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Athlone, Waterford, Sligo, Mosney and elsewhere to support the demand for an asylum system that welcomes people fleeing oppression, instead of doing its best to turn them away. Ireland accepts only 1.5 per cent of asylum applications, less than any other country in Fortress Europe.

TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Sinn Féin) at the Dáil, along with Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) and Richard Boyd-Barrett (People Before Profit) at the Department of Justice, addressed the demonstrators, praising their protest and pledging their support for Residents Against Racism.

Gardaí at the Department of Justice attempted to prevent marchers from coming on to the steps of the building, before the sheer force of numbers made them change their mind. Throughout the protest here, the Department doors were locked and besieged staff peeped out windows at the protest below.

Footage from the protest is available on YouTube.

Watch out for further protests in your area on 6 July.

entering Stephen's Green

further around the Green

approaching the Department of Justice

Why deport me?