Businesses prepare for trouble at Cork City anti-lockdown protest as Coveney urges public not to attend  

Today's planned protest is going ahead despite week-long criticism 

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has urged people not to attend the anti-lockdown protest in Cork warning that today's protest could also result in spreading the coronavirus further. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Businesses in Cork city centre are preparing for disruption at the anti-lockdown protest planned for today. 

There are concerns there may be a repeat of the violence that broke out at a demonstration in Dublin a week ago.

Kevin Herlihy is the owner of three Centra stores in Cork city centre. He said if there is any trouble he will be shutting his stores and that he has hired security to monitor the situation. 

"We're on standby, particularly the store here on [St] Patrick's street where the protest is going to go ahead next door at Brown Thomas. 

"We're prepared to close the doors if it kicks off and I presume if it does kick off we will be closing." 

I've hired in security for the store here and for the store on Grand Parade and we're just going to monitor things. 

"The gardaí are obviously going to be around in force and they are going to advise us if we need to close," said Mr Herlihy. 

It comes as the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has urged people not to attend the protest this afternoon. 

Last night the Cork TD asked people to listen to the gardaí and public health officials and has acknowledged public frustration at lockdown restrictions. 

Mr Coveney warned today's protest could also result in spreading the coronavirus further. 

"Please listen to gardaí, the Lord Mayor⁩ and public health advice. I know people are stressed by restrictions but mass public gatherings to protest are counterproductive and will be a spreader of Covid," he wrote in a social media post last night.

Please don't turn up to anti-lockdown protest in Cork. 

Gardaí are preparing for today’s anti-lockdown protest in Cork city as a “showcase” of how gardaí will deal with the expected mass protest in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day, garda sources have said.

A number of sources have said that if there is any violence or criminal damage that “it will be dealt with”, and that there will be enough gardaí on duty to “nip anything in the bud”.