Demonstrations in support of refugees planned by Dún Laoghaire union members and political groups

Two demonstrations in support of refugees and those seeking international protection are being organised by trade unionists and political groupings in Dún Laoghaire over the coming days.

The rallies are said to be a reaction to an attack on the family home of Independent councillor Hugh Lewis in Ballybrack last week and the vandalising of a nearby building which was rumoured to have been approved for use as a refugee centre. There have also been protests at an existing centre at the former Dún Laoghaire Senior College on Eblana Avenue in the town.

An event planned for lunchtime on Monday outside the town hall is described as an “impromptu display of solidarity” by locally-based union members in reaction to last week’s event. It is being organised by Fórsa member Róisín Cronin who said she and colleagues working at the council were shocked by the attacks.

“It’s just a kind of solidarity rally in response to events,” she says. “Eblana Avenue is on our doorstep and people have been taken aback to see people marching on the old senior college and the kind of intimidation involved in the rock that was thrown through the councillor’s window.

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“People just want to be able to say ‘look, this doesn’t reflect how we feel’. We want to send out a message that people are welcome in our town and in our communities. It’s all been very last-minute and we don’t expect it to be huge on a Monday in late July, but we wanted to do something to get the message out there.”

People Before Profit, Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats are among the political parties supporting what is intended to be a larger event scheduled to take place at the People’s Park at 1pm on Saturday.

Fórsa, Siptu, a number of local Labour Party councillors and Hugh Lewis, the Independent councillor whose father’s home was attacked, have also expressed backing for the event, as have a number of celebrities, including Christy Moore.

“What we’re attempting to say is ‘no to hate and yes to decency and kindness’,” says Richard Boyd-Barrett TD. “Sadly I’m not surprised at all that this has happened, but the majority of people in Ballybrack are appalled by this stuff. They don’t like it. But the attack on Huey was deliberately designed to terrify people and quite honestly, it’s had an impact.”

He said it was unclear as of now whether Ridge House, the former doctor’s surgery attacked, is actually to be used to provide accommodation “but obviously our concern is more that they are drumming up fear and hostility, and trying to intimidate anyone who says a good word about refugees basically”.