Gardaí 'ready' if agitators target the Ireland for All event in Dublin on Saturday

Gardaí suspect Tommy Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon — is in Ireland to seek publicity and that his presence in Dublin tomorrow could rally far-right supporters. File picture

Gardaí will have dedicated resources in place tomorrow to deal with any potential confrontations involving far-right groups counter protesting against a national ‘Ireland for All’ event in Dublin city centre.

Both the Ireland for All event, organised as a show of solidarity for refugees, and the counter-protest, are meeting in the same place — the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square — at lunchtime.

Gardaí expect at least several thousand people to attend the solidarity event, but are unsure what numbers will turn up for the counter-protest — but it could be in the low hundreds.

This is in part due to apparent splits between a group involved in pushing anti-refugee protests in East Wall, Ballymun, Finglas, and Artane and far-right organisations and individuals.

Ireland For All organisers include Sean O’Kelly (Access for All), Orla O'Connor (National Women's Council Ireland), Ailbhe Smyth (Le Chéile), and Heather Harte (East Wall Here For All). Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

A statement purportedly issued by a committee driving the anti-refugee protests called on people to stay away from the counter-protest, linking it to Tommy Robinson.

The far-right agitator and convicted criminal travelled to Dublin on Wednesday, claiming he had come over from England to “make a documentary” about the anti-refugee protests.

The founder of far-right groups English Defence League and Pegida UK, which launched an Irish branch in 2016, was welcomed to Ireland by certain far-right individuals here. He has connections with people involved in Pegida and other small outfits.

Robinson’s movements are being followed by security services and uniformed gardaí since his arrival and he has been seen in North Cork and Kerry in recent days.

It is not known if Robinson will attend the counter-protest, which has been called by a well-known character on the far-right in Dublin, who has praised Robinson’s work and welcomed him to join their protests.

The group around this person has attracted some support, at least online, from people with serious criminal backgrounds.

The organisers say Ireland for All will be a peaceful, family-friendly demonstration and includes musical acts with Christy Moore topping the bill. File picture: Ray Keogh

It is not clear to what extent the right-wing Irish Freedom Party and the National Party will attend.

Gardaí have had a fairly significant overt presence at most of the protests in recent weeks and have drawn up a detailed policing plan for Saturday's event, not least given the numbers attending and the possibility of confrontation.

“We expect the main march will be peaceful and will attract a reasonably large crowd, but we are also aware of counter-protests,” said one source.

We’d expect deliberate antagonism and harassment will take place, pulling of placards off each other and the like but, hopefully, no violence. 

The overt garda policing at the location will be backed up by public order units which will remain inside vans parked nearby, but out of sight.

Plainclothes gardaí will also be in operation, keeping tabs on the main players and potential flashpoints.

The Garda Security and Intelligence Service will be operating behind the scenes.

The organisers of the Ireland for All march have said it will be “a peaceful, family friendly demonstration”, accompanied by music, including folk singer Christy Moore.

“The terrorising of refugees and asylum seeking communities and other members of working class communities has no place in our society,” the organisers said in a statement.

“Our march will represent the majority of Irish people who will not be intimidated into silence.”

They said the far right are going into communities and using a minority to spread misinformation.

“The far right are amplifying racist voices and portraying them as the consensus of the community,” they said. “The far right does not speak for these communities.

“This is why we are calling for a national response of unity and solidarity against the racism that is being spread in our society.”

Despite claims that Robinson has made on social media, that he wants to “report” on the story, and not be the story, gardaí suspect he will seek publicity and that even his presence would act as a “lightning rod” for supporters.