Protesters bring gallows to demonstration outside Leinster House

Members of the public protesting outside Leinster House today. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Protesters took mock gallows and photographs of high-profile politicians to a demonstration outside Leinster House as the Dáil returned following the summer recess.

The gallows, which feature an effigy of a man hanging from a noose, was adorned with portraits of politicians including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Images of Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, Education Minister Norma Foley and Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman also accompany the display.

Protesters outside Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Depictions of opposition TDs including Eoin Ó Broin from Sinn Féin and Solidarity-People Before Profit deputies Paul Murphy and Bríd Smith also feature.

Around 200 people gathered outside Leinster House, where the main entrance was fenced off by gardaí, on Wednesday as part of what has become a traditional day of protest ahead of the return of the Dáil session.

Speaking in New York, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said protests outside Leinster House are "unacceptable" and "reprehensible" and that there is "no need" for protests which include "very personalised attacks and a targeting of politicians" in any democracy.

"We live in a parliamentary democracy, notwithstanding the flaws in any democracy, many people have commented to me here at the UN at various events that I have been at about how Ireland is politically effective now when harnessing civil society in our debates on a whole range of issues from marriage equality; to Repeal of the Eighth Amendment; to the consultative forum on security; to the commission on taxation; people are actually interested in the processes we use to try and get greater input from civic society. There was no need for that kind of behaviour."

Far-right protesters shouted various chants against transgender rights, migration and planned hate speech laws.

Politicians and journalists entering the Leinster House premises were called “traitors” by the gathered crowd.

Demonstrators held signs featuring slogans such as “Irish lives matter” and “Ballybrack says no”.

Earlier this year, several gardaí responded to the Ballybrack area as groups of anti-migrant protesters damaged a building they did not want to be repurposed for refugees.

Outside Leinster House on Wednesday, the protesters regularly chanted: “You’ll never beat the Irish.” 

Two men have been arrested under the public order act and charged to appear in court.

The nearby National Library of Ireland shut as a result of the protest.