Far-right protesters target closed library in Clare

Group campaigning against LGBT+ books who recently targeted libraries in Cork and Limerick, move on to Killaloe library despite it being closed for the weekend

Andy Heasman speaking at a previous library protest in Cork. The same banner was put up outside Killaloe Library in Co Clare on Saturday. File picture: Larry Cummins
 

Far-right protesters have erected an anti-transgender banner across a library that was already closed for the weekend in Clare, in an ongoing campaign against LGBT+ books in public libraries.

Similar protests have forced the closure of Cork City Library in recent weeks, but there were no staff or users present in Killaloe on Saturday as the library was closed for the weekend.

A notice from Clare Libraries on Thursday advised that the library would be closed on Saturday and Monday for the holiday weekend and urged users to “stock up on books” beforehand.

A group of nationalist and far-right agitators are currently "on a tour" in a small boat up the River Shannon and into Lough Derg.

As part of this they stopped at Killaloe to unfurl a banner outside the library. 

The banner read: “There are only two genders: male and female.”

They were also seen on video carrying protest posters and leafleting in the Clare town.

Clare Fianna Fáil councillor Tony O’Brien said he saw four to five people wearing green t-shirts handing out leaflets in the town today. He said: 

Nobody engaged with them. People refused the leaflets and just passed by. 

Protests over the stocking of LGBT+ reading material have forced the closure of Cork City Library in recent weeks.

However, the protests were thwarted in Limerick on Thursday when locals formed a barrier at the city's library, preventing them from entering.

Between 60 and 70 people stood at the library and several local bookshops to stop the protestors from recreating scenes previously seen across the country.

Limerick City councillor Elisa O’Donovan hailed the counter-demonstration that prevented what she termed 'extremists' and 'agitators' from accessing Limerick City Library. Picture: Google Maps

Limerick City West Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan described the protestors as “extremists” and “agitators”.

“It is awful what they are doing and I think yesterday what we saw was just wonderful because we saw a lot of Limerick people ensuring that the sanctity of the library as a safe haven for everyone in our community was protected and they were not allowed entry,” she said.

It followed a spate of targeted protests at Cork City Library in recent months, resulting in several closures including last Saturday.

Cork City Library closed for the first time in more than a century in March due to a similar protest.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned the protests this week and said they were “disturbing”. He said:

It's not long after you start burning books, that sometimes people start burning other people. 

Some of the protestors in Cork last week have been linked to far-right groups in the UK.

Gardaí said that they have not received reports from the Killaloe protest on Saturday. Gardaí have faced some criticism for policing of such protests, which critics say has not been adequately robust.

“Any Garda response to protests and demonstrations is in keeping with a community policing model and graduated policing response taking into account relevant legislation and public safety,” a statement said.

“There is a constitutional right to the freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, subject to statutory provisions.

“An Garda Síochána respects the right for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights.

“An Garda Síochána has no role in permitting or authorising public gatherings.

“Where necessary An Garda Síochána put in place appropriate and proportionate policing plans to monitor public gatherings. An Garda Síochána does not comment on or provide specific details of operational plans.”