ICTU hosts protest to denounce Dublin Riots and show solidarity with workers and victims affected by Thursday's violence

O'Connell Street at lunchtime Monday was a vastly different sight to how it looked just 3 days prior when violent rioters took to the city causing tens of millions of euro worth of damage to public property on Thursday night.

Today Monday the 27th a rally organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions took place to condemn the happenings of the Dublin riots, and to show solidarity with workers and victims affected by the violence of Thursday night, which kicked off after three children and a carer were stabbed on Thursday afternoon on Parnell Square in front of Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire.

The violence seen across social media platforms on Thursday night led to huge destruction, including 13 shops looted, 3 buses and 1 Luas tram set on fire, and 11 Garda vehicles damaged.

Opening the rally, Irish Nurses and Midwives Union head Phil Ní Sheaghdha said that: 'Alongside us everyday we have migrant workers, bringing children into the world, working with us in the health services as doctors as nurses as occupational physios- all across the realm of service delivery. We work alongside these people, and we are absolutely dependent on migrant workers as a society".

The Irish Congress of Trade Union General Secretary Owen Reidy said of the purpose of the protest that:"no workers should be put in harms way when at work".

Among the union represented at today's protest were the Irish National Teacher's Organisation and The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and the FÓRSA union who took part in what was billed as a rally of "solidarity and hope".

ICTU protest in Dublin. Monday 27th of November 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Speaking in front of the Jim Larkin statue on O'Connell Street, Reidy said: "These are not speeches, these are messages of solidarity and hope".

Today is an opportunity for the citizens of Dublin, people who work in Dublin, to come together to show solidarity for our first responders, our frontline workers, who were put in harm’s way last Thursday night, with the outrageous riots and violent behaviour that we have to condemn and not accept,”

Reidy made mention of the fire brigade, the ambulance workers, the Gardaí, transport workers and local authority workers, however he also acknowledged the difficulties facing hospitality and retail workers who Reidy said "woke up on Friday morning wondering if they would have a job because of what took place".

Reidy continued : "The bottom line for us as a worker's movement is that every worker has a right to go to work and come home safely whoever they are whatever job they do".

Also speaking at the rally, Joe Cunnigham leader of SIPTU- The Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union, said that  'These are the people who run into the dangerous situation that was visited upon our city".

There were also speeches made by representatives from Dublin Bus and the FÓRSA union.

It was not only worker representatives who were visible at the rally with organisation also joining the ICTU organised protest to show solidarity with victims of the recent violence in Dublin City as organisation like the Irish Refugee council also were in attendance:

Strong turnout of people and organisations at @irishcongress rally.

Messages:

▪️Sympathy and thoughts with children and woman attacked
▪️Solidarity with workers and responders
▪️Racism, hate, violence will not win
▪️Stronger together
▪️ Ireland will remain a country of welcome pic.twitter.com/Sn5ZrIDUyd

— Irish Refugee Council (@IrishRefugeeCo) November 27, 2023

Sharing on X, Reidy posted that there was a "Great turnout" at the rally.

Great turnout at ⁦@irishcongress⁩ event condemning the violence of last week and supporting all our workers wherever they come from #irelandforall pic.twitter.com/NZzTW6XuQH

— Owen Reidy (@owenreidy) November 27, 2023