DUBLIN: Thousands of demonstrators marched through Dublin on Saturday to protest against US President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland, with campaigners condemning his policies on foreign affairs, climate, immigration and social issues, according to The Irish Times.
The Dublin protest drew a broad mix of political parties, campaign groups, trade unions and unaffiliated demonstrators, The Irish Times reported. Organizers said about 25,000 people attended, although the newspaper said the actual number was likely lower.
Marchers walked from the Garden of Remembrance to the Dáil, carrying Palestinian flags and placards criticizing Trump over issues including Gaza, racism, misogyny, climate policy and US military activity.
One protester quoted by The Irish Times said the crowd was intended to send a message of opposition, adding: “With Trump, the only people on the streets are here to oppose him.”
Another protester, Holly Eustance, told the newspaper that Trump’s policies threatened vulnerable species and the planet, saying war and climate change caused widespread destruction while political and economic systems favored billionaires over people.
The march was largely peaceful, though The Irish Times reported that a masked breakaway group, Anti-Imperialist Action, burned a US flag near Molesworth Street, set off firecrackers and chanted against the presence of US troops at Shannon Airport.
Speakers outside the Dáil criticized the Irish government’s handling of Trump’s visit. Labour TD Ciarán Ahern accused officials of “sycophancy,” while Senator Alice Mary Higgins described the trip as a “grotesque pantomime,” according to The Irish Times.
Trump earlier appeared to dismiss questions about the protests, suggesting they were probably “friendly,” but demonstrators quoted in the Irish newspaper said their message was that he was not welcome in Ireland.
