Locals have circulated a flyer on Twitter showing Clondalkin set to join East Wall protests on 12 December 2022. The town of Clondalkin has a population of 46,813 and is known for its eight-century tower round, which is one of the four remaining towers in the county of Dublin.
Recently, opposition to immigration protests have occurred in Cork, Dublin and Wicklow. The most recent flyer circulated among several platforms allege the Irish government and representatives are not being honest. It further alleges government officials are “creating incorrect narratives” about the Clondalkin community’s “concerns regarding the influx of undocumented refugees.”
East Wall protesters have also uploaded a petition on Change.org, calling for a referendum to change Ireland’s current immigration policy. According to the East Wall’s abstract, Ireland’s infrastructure cannot sustain current level of inward migration. The petition further demands that “the government put the question immediately before the people by way of referendum.”
Two of the reasons given for signing the petition are Ireland’s homeless emergency situation and the influx of male asylum seekers. The petition has garnered 700 signatures at the time of this article, 300 short of its 1,000 signature goal.
Clondalkin set to join East Wall protests. Will there be opposition?
It is not immediately clear if pro-immigrant groups will counter the petition or protest in opposition of Clondalkin locals on Monday. However, there seems to be a protest against asylum seekers and refugees in Tallaght Cookstown.
In John Draper‘s article, the Irish in post-war Britain faced prejudice comparable to that suffered by Commonwealth immigrants. For example, signs were plastered all over the United Kingdom that stated “No Blacks, No dogs, No Irish.” Supporters of asylum seekers continue to remind the Irish of this dreadful history, and the discrimination and ostracism they faced while migrating. But the locals state recent protests, and those that will follow, are not about discrimination or racism. It is about something much bigger. Safety.
