The anti-fascist rally I attended consisted of about 100-200 masked attendees. It spread out from the Spire to the Jim Larkin statue on O’Connell Street, in the plaza between the lanes of traffic. More watched from footpaths on either side. It was organised by 23 different groups, including United Against Racism, Trans And Intersex Pride and USI.
The speakers were a mixture of frontline workers, left-wing politicians and advocates for anti-racism and LGBT+ groups. They spoke of the threat of the Irish alt-right that had been emboldened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to protect the rights of vulnerable communities.
While it was sobering to reflect on the many flaws in Irish society, I left the rally hopeful that liberal groups were mobilising to combat fascist ideology. It felt good to be able to protest in person again, and I was relieved to see how consistently social distancing measures had been adhered to throughout.