CHANTS of “Limerick says no”, “Whose streets? Our streets”, and “Olé Olé Olé” could be heard echoing through Limerick City this Saturday afternoon (July 20) as a group of protesters hundreds strong formed outside River House on Charlotte’s Quay to protest against the earmarking of the former Revenue office block for accommodation for international protection (IP) applicants.
There was an air of frustration among those gathered at River House in what was a peaceful and non-violent protest throughout, while just a few hundred metres away a celebration of Brazilian culture was taking place at the Hunt Museum.
Organisers of the protest, from the Limerick Says No group, were draped in Irish flags and handing out flyers to those gathered on Charlotte’s Quay, carrying an online link to download a copy of the Irish Constitution.
The peaceful protest was in reaction to plans to house up to 340 IP applicants in the city centre office block.
One of those in attendance who spoke to the Limerick Post was Dean Quinn, who said that a feeling of not being represented by the government was what brought him to demonstrate at River House.
“The government are not listening to the people, I think they need to step aside as well,” he explained.
“I’m very frustrated with the Irish government, who are not representing the Irish people on their behalf and they got voted in by the Irish people and they’re ignoring them.”
Mr Quinn suggested that “we need a government that represents the Irish people properly and fairly, and it’s not being done”.
One of those leading the chants at the event, Greg Doran, refused to speak to this reporter when asked if he would like to comment on the demonstration, referring to this newspaper as a “communist newspaper” over the megaphone to the gathered crowd.
From River House, demonstrators marched to Limerick City and County Council offices in Merchant’s Quay, again chanting “Limerick says no” and “Whose streets? Our streets”.
A number of speakers addressed the crowd once they had reached the local authority offices.
Gardaí were visible on the streets throughout the peaceful gathering, following comments from local migrant and refugee support organisation Doras after recent violence at a protest in Coolock, Dublin.
Appealing this week to the people of Limerick not to attend the River House demonstration, Doras CEO John Lannon said that “protesting outside Accommodation Centres is not what Limerick is about”.
“Limerick has a long, proud record of welcoming asylum seekers and other migrants,” he told the Limerick Post.
“As more accommodation centres open in the city, it is essential that this remains the case. Protesting at the arrival of people escaping from war and persecution is not what Limerick is about.”
