Dublin fuel protest Friday EU summit, Digi Mart USA News (Dublin, Ireland): A planned fuel protest will partially go ahead on Friday despite a major security lockdown in Dublin as world leaders gather for an EU summit. More than 50 world leaders are visiting Dublin for the European Political Community summit on Thursday.
Cork campaigner Anthony Kelleher, a leading voice in April’s Whitegate oil refinery blockade, is involved in the protest with the campaign group People of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest. Mr Kelleher told the Irish Examiner that a protest over fuel prices would go ahead outside the Dáil at 12pm on Friday, but the rolling protest convoys planned across the country have been cancelled.
Splinter groups may also be forming in the fuel protest movement. James Geoghegan, John Dallon and Christopher Duffy, who emerged as the three leaders of April’s fuel protest, are not involved in Friday’s planned protest in Dublin.
Mr Geoghegan said that while he supports people’s right to protest, he does not believe it is the right time, given the serious security operation in Dublin and the Government’s focus on European issues and State security. “There will be a lot of pressure in Dublin on Friday, gardaí will be on high alert.
We have only held peaceful protests in the past, and I would be concerned that things could turn sour on Friday. But I hope all goes well,” he said.
There is concern that the fuel protest may be hijacked by people focused on far-right issues rather than on the price of diesel. Diesel was €1.99 a litre at pumps on Wednesday, down from €2.25 in April.
Many people have been entitled to fuel rebates after the Government introduced a €505m support package following April’s fuel protest, on top of an earlier €250m package, bringing total supports to some €755m.
The People of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest said on social media on Wednesday that people were still suffering due to high fuel costs and that the Dublin part of Friday’s protest would still go ahead. The group said it had decided not to proceed with the nationwide rolling protests and convoys, stating: “We are simply not prepared to put people’s driving licences, jobs, businesses, and livelihoods at risk.” It noted that many supporters are truck drivers, farmers, hauliers, recovery operators, small business owners and ordinary workers, and that penalty points, fines or prosecutions are a concern.
An Garda Síochána has said it will take a zero-tolerance approach to road blockages, rolling protests and any disruption to traffic in major towns and cities throughout the country. People are now struggling to such a degree financially that they cannot afford to come out to protest, the statement said.
