Irish Examiner view: A contrast in how protests are dealt with

Security forum protest

Tanaiste Micheal Martin continues his opening address to the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy at University College Cork as protesters are removed by members of An Garda Síochána during the opening session. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The Consultative Forum on International Security Policy began its deliberations in Cork yesterday at a session opened by Tánaiste Micheál Martin in UCC and, almost inevitably, that session was swiftly interrupted by protesters.

This was hardly surprising given the depth of feeling in particular about Irish neutrality, one of the subjects the forum will consider.

It is fair to point out that protest is a right in any democracy, a valid method of registering one’s opposition to policy — if such opponents were not allowed to protest it would be a worrying sign for the State.

It is equally fair to point out that protest and interruption are not synonymous with debate and discussion.

Those who interrupted the Tánaiste in UCC ensured their opposition to the forum was noticed, but in doing so they hardly advanced discussion of the matters at hand.

From left: Moderator Louise Richardson, DBE; Reiseal Ni Cheilleachair, Head of International Advocacy, Concern; Renata Dwan, Senior Consulting Fellow, Chatham House; Neil Melvin, Director, International Security, RUSI; and Brigid Laffan, Emeritus Professor, European University Institute. Picture: Larry Cummins

The protesters might point out that they were moved so swiftly out of the lecture theatre yesterday that they had no chance to make their case, which in itself raises an interesting point.

The authorities did not stand on ceremony in removing those protesters from their seats in UCC, which is quite the contrast with the approach taken by the authorities with people who blockaded a road recently in Clare, or with those who allegedly abused staff in Cork City libraries earlier this year.

Consistency in managing protests and demonstrations would surely be agreeable to all sides in this and other debates.