Statement from AFA Ireland (7th February 2016)

Statement from AFA Ireland (7th February 2016) -

An attempt by Identity Ireland and far-right Polish hooligans to host a public rally of Pegida Ireland ended in complete disaster and humiliation yesterday in Dublin city centre.

In what was the biggest mobilisation of militant anti-Fascists in Dublin in many years, both Irish fascists and Polish boneheads from Ruch Narodowy (National Movement) and the National-Radical Camp (ONR) were sent packing in a number of incidents throughout the day.

Over 2,000 people from all across the island took over the Pegida Ireland meeting point at the GPO from 1.30pm. This demonstration was supported by all the main left-wing political parties and migrant support groups.

There were separately up to 200 militants divided up throughout the northside of the city made up of AFA, Irish republicans from many groups, anarchists, socialists and a significant number of football casuals from the four main Dublin clubs.

Utilising key intelligence, the leadership of Identity Ireland/Pegida Ireland including Peter O'Loughlin and Ian Noel Peeke were confronted on the Luas (tram system) as they made their way into the city centre around 2.30pm. With their egos, among other things, battered and bruised - they quickly headed back to their cars at the Red Cow roundabout never even making it to O'Connell Street.

A group of around twelve Polish right-wing hooligans were then monitored as they met in their favoured pub Brannigan's on Cathedral Street off O'Connell Street. This group attempted to head to the GPO but were routed and chased all the way down North Earl Street by a large group of militant anti-Fascists. Seeking temporary refuge at one stage in a '2 euro' discount shop.

This group made it back to Brannigan's where they were surrounded by anti-Fascists. Numbers were bolstered as hundreds sprinted up from the main anti-Racist demo. The fascists' safety was only made possible by a large number of Gardai and members of the Public Order Unit who baton charged the crowd. The Garda Mounted Unit and the Garda Dog Unit were also deployed throughout the day.

A separate group of around seven Polish right-wing hooligans were physically confronted later in the day near the Jim Larkin statue on O'Connell Street.

Later in the afternoon, another group of around eight Polish right-wing hooligans were thumped and chased out of Murrays pub on O'Connell Street.

Dissent has spread amongst the Polish and Irish far-right camps with one upset Polish attendee taking to Facebook to vent :

"15 of us ... turned up for Pegida rally ... not one Irish person showed up, (their) big rally at Red Cow gathered 6 of them and they were two scared to show up. We (got) attacked and chased by group of over 50 people and more were joining in ... We (got) overwhelmed and had to run for our (lives) ... Great event, fuck Pegida"

AFA Ireland would like to thank all those who mobilised yesterday. It set an important precedent. Any other extreme right group will now know exactly what to expect if they attempt any street-based activity. The significance of militants from competing political groups and rival football fans coming together is extremely important. Unity is strength.

We end on a solemn note from the late Irish-based holocaust survivor Franz Frison who summed things up so well in a letter to The Irish Times published on 12th December 1988:

"If fascism could be defeated in debate, I assure you that it would never have happened, neither in Germany, nor in Italy, nor anywhere else. Those who recognised its threat at the time and tried to stop it were, I assume, also called “a mob”. Regrettably too many “fair-minded” people didn’t either try, or want to stop it, and, as I witnessed myself during the war, accommodated themselves when it took over ... People who witnessed fascism at its height are dying out, but the ideology is still here, and its apologists are working hard at a comeback. Past experience should teach us that fascism must be stopped before it takes hold again of too many minds, and becomes useful once again to some powerful interests"

ENDS