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EchoLive.ie, 20 Mar
Protesters intend to picket vacant buildings in Parnell Place on
Saturday
Anti-racism and anti-eviction rallies to take place in Cork city
Socialist Party TD Mick Barry said he hoped Saturday’s housing protest
would be only the first of many to take place across the country in the
coming days.
Donal O’Keeffe
TWO separate rallies are planned for Cork city centre this Saturday
afternoon and organisers of both are hopeful of strong turnouts.
The first of Saturday’s gatherings will be to protest the Government’s
decision to lift the temporary ban on evictions, and it will take place
at 12.30pm in Parnell Place.
The second rally will see the group Cork Says No to Racism mark the
United Nations World Anti-Racism Day, and will gather at 2pm at the
City Library on the Grand Parade.
With political pressure mounting against Government parties to reverse
the decision to lift the eviction ban at the end of the month, housing
activists will meet in Parnell Place, beside the bus station, after
midday on Saturday.
The Residential Tenancies Board has reported that 500 notices to quit
will go live in Cork from April 1, placing more than 1,000 people
locally on the frontlines of what looks set to be a national explosion
of evictions.
Protesters intend to picket vacant buildings in Parnell Place on
Saturday, properties which were sold by Cork City Council to Tetrarch
Capital five years ago and which still remain idle.
The housing protest will be addressed by Cork renters who face eviction
once the ban is lifted.
Socialist Party TD Mick Barry said he hoped Saturday’s housing protest
would be only the first of many to take place across the country in the
coming days.
“The Government’s decision to lift the eviction ban needs to be fought
in the Dáil and it needs to be fought on the streets,” the Cork North
Central TD said.
“Tuesday night’s Dáil debate, Wednesday night’s Dáil vote and
Saturday’s protest are all part of what needs to be a nationwide
pushback against this reckless move.” After the housing rally, this
year’s Cork Says No to Racism march, which is held annually to coincide
with the United Nations’ World Anti Racism Day, will gather outside the
City Library at 2pm.
Joe Moore, co-ordinator of the march, said this year’s theme was to
highlight that Cork is a diverse and inclusive city and to demand
housing and healthcare for all.
“Cork Says No to Racism opposes the racism not only of the far right
but also the racism of the State, whose victims are in the main
Travellers and asylum seekers,” Mr Moore said.
Fionnuala O’Connell of the Cork Migrant Centre said that racism denies
the humanity of others, and only diminishes the humanity of those who
espouse racism.
“It’s about a shared humanity, it’s about loving fearlessly, it’s about
the acknowledgement that I am not free until we are all free, and
knowing that anything less than freedom for all is exploitation,” she
said.
Ann Jones, who is a Traveller activist and is chair of Travellers of
North Cork said Travellers knew all about racism in this country.
“Travellers say no to racism because for as long as we can remember, we
are being singled out and all painted with the same brush,” Ms Jones
said.
“Because of this, we understand what it feels like to be discriminated
against, so we say no to racism.” Sinn Féin T.D. Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
said Cork was an open, welcoming city that has always embraced
diversity and does not tolerate discrimination.
“I urge the people of Cork to come out in large numbers on Saturday
March 25 and send a strong message that Cork is a welcoming city with
welcoming people who strongly believe that we all have a right to the
same basic needs in life,” the Cork South Central TD said.
“Everyone is equal and everyone deserves the same opportunities and
chances in life.” Commenting on a favourite trope employed by the far
right, Mary Crilly of the Sexual Violence Centre Cork criticised the
“unvetted males” narrative which plays upon fear of sexual violence to
demonise minorities.
“Gender based violence is a global systemic issue that affects all
communities,” Ms Crilly said.
“It is unacceptable and it is incorrect to use this issue to shore up
racism and hatred.” Saturday’s Cork Says No to Racism rally will come
three weeks after confrontations between anti-racism campaigners and
anti-immigrant protesters led to a three-hour stand-off on the Grand
Parade.
Those two clashing rallies saw at their height some 200 anti-immigrant
demonstrators face off against approximately 500 anti-racism
counter-demonstrators, with 20 gardaí standing between the sides.
Read More
Long read: 'No to racism' voices loudest on day of rallies in Cork
city