Statement from the Socialist Party
Yesterday’s events in Dublin’s North Inner City were appalling. The stabbing of three young children, one of whom is still in critical care, and an education worker outside a school on Parnell Square was an act of unthinkably senseless violence. We extend our heartfelt solidarity to the victims and their families and to all the children, workers and their families in the school and community affected. We pay tribute to the courage of those who intervened to subdue the attacker, including Caio Benicio, a Brazilian Deliveroo worker. We also pay tribute to the emergency workers who quickly responded to these attacks.
These events were exploited by the small but organised forces of the far-right to whip up racist hatred and violence. Despicably, they orchestrated riots on O’Connell Street and the surrounding areas. Luas and bus workers were dragged from their vehicles, while buses and trams were burnt out. Retail and hospitality workers faced threats and intimidation as their workplaces were ransacked. The Rotunda was forced to ask its pregnant patients to stay away. There are reports of women in hijabs facing Islamophobic slurs, intimidation and assault. This is the true face of the far-right – marauding macho gangs claiming to protect women and children.
These events were especially harrowing and traumatic for migrants, people of colour and LGBTQ people who were in Dublin City Centre on Thursday. As transport came to a halt, many were left stranded as gangs terrorised the city. Many are still fearful about coming into the city centre, but of course, those who live and work there have no choice.
In the last year, an emboldened far-right has emerged that has sought to whip up racist hatred in working-class communities, resulting in migrants being physically attacked and intimated and the burning down of migrant encampments. Library workers and TDs from the socialist left have also faced harassment and intimidation in their workplaces and homes.
We welcome the decision of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to call a demonstration for Monday at 1 pm at the GPO. The power of the hundreds of thousands of its members must be mobilised to fight the far right.
Tens of thousands have been mobilised every week to oppose the Israeli State’s genocidal war on Gaza, uniting working-class and young people from diverse backgrounds. The far-right are pushed back when we march in solidarity and struggle and were notably scarce in the city centre during these weeks.
We need a mass working-class movement of solidarity, uniting all the exploited and oppressed to oppose those who seek to divide us with their racist, misogynistic and transphobic bile. In fact this is the only protection we can rely on against the danger the far-right poses, as opposed to “law and order” right-wing calls for more Gardaí.
We need to fight for public homes for all and investment in public services, not division. This movement must stand squarely and resolutely against the whole capitalist establishment and system – a system of crisis, poverty, inequality, homelessness, climate chaos and genocidal wars – a system that is increasingly a breeding ground for far-right filth. Our strongest retort is socialist struggle and change.
