Thousands attended an anti-immigration protest on Saturday afternoon, which was met by a counter demonstration organised by the group United Against Racism outside the GPO.
There was a significant garda presence along O’Connell Street and Luas services were disrupted as a result.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – April 27
Gardaí have confirmed that three people were arrested for public order offences as they policed a number of public gatherings in the city centre yesterday afternoon.
“No further information on these arrests is available. No major incidents of note occurred,” a garda spokesperson said.
In a video filmed in the Garden of Remembrance before the protest, MMA fighter Conor McGregor, dressed in a three-piece suit, told those leading the march to “be calm, be clear, speak with dignity”.
He said it was a protest against “the failure of the Irish government and our full disapproval of it”.
McGregor, who is appealing the verdict reached by a civil jury last November which found that he sexually assaulted Nikita Hand in the Beacon Hotel in 2018 and awarded her almost €250,000 in damages, has recently signalled his intention to run in the Irish presidential election.
It is unlikely that he will receive sufficient support to appear on the ballot as candidates need to be nominated by 20 members of the Oireachtas or four local authorities.
He was not spotted in the crowd of protestors and he did not return to address the rally when it gathered outside the Custom House.
Dublin City councillors Malachy Steenson, Gavin Pepper and Philip Sutcliffe delivered speeches alongside Fingal councillor Patrick Quinlan, while a number of anti-immigration activists were also present.
Thousands of protestors walked down O’Connell Street, with many carrying tricolour flags and a number wearing green ‘Make Ireland Great Again’ baseball caps.
Participants held up signs with slogans including “Irish lives matter”, “Coolock Says No”, and “Ireland is Full”.
One banner featured pictures of McGregor, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Shouts and chants heard during the protest included “get them out” and “Ireland for the Irish”.
Both the protest and counter demonstration also chanted: “Whose streets? Our streets.”
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