Fuel protests show legitimate protests can be taken over by far right, Cork expert warns

Protesters on O'Connell Street in Dublin on the sixth day of the national fuel protests on Saturday.

The recent fuel protests across the country showcased how legitimate protests can potentially be co-opted by far-right actors, a Cork academic has warned.

At a media press conference regarding the fuel protests last week, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said: “When you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes.”