Concerned Waterford locals face off far right with counter-protest near city centre
Communities all over Waterford came out to Ballybricken.
On Sunday afternoon, September 15, crowds of people came together in Waterford in the face of a far right demonstration.
Over 100 people chanted messages of unity in the face of a group of masked men on the Ballybricken bandstand.
The counter demonstration was organised by Waterford Coalition Against Facsism, which includes the Waterford Council of Trade Unions (WCTU), SIPTU, Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, Green Party and Rabharta.
Local representatives including Cllrs Joeanne Bailey, Conor McGuinness, Joe Kelly, John Hearn and Seamus Ryan were there to lend their support to the counter demonstration.
Cllr McGuinness told the Waterford News and Star: "I think it's very important that people stand against the divisive politics of the far right, the racism, the division, the hate and the lives that are being spread by these bad actors."
"I keep saying to people when they ask me: 'who are these people?' I don't know because they were never on any housing protest, I've never seen them operating in a constituency clinic, I've never seen them advocating for women's rights, never seen them participate in any of the many struggles, in any of the many campaigns that people have been involved in here in Waterford over the last 10, 15, 20 years I've been involved in politics," he said. Mayor of Waterford's Metropolitan District, Cllr Joe Kelly said: "When people from far-right groups try agitate, its important that people are prepared to stand up against them."
CATU (Community Action Tenants Union) officer Killian Mangan said: "This is one of the biggest issues at the moment. You have a very small group of people who are trying to use very valid concerns, like the housing crisis, and are punching down on the most vulnerable people of society."
