Anti-imperialists protest the visit of Biden in Dublin
Joe Biden ended his visit to Ireland on Friday. During this time, he met Irish and British politicians and made public speeches promoting “democracy” and “peace”, highlighting “the historical connection” of the US and Ireland and his own Irish roots. He even said to the Irish parliament in Irish language that he feels at home in Ireland. Most importantly, the US president discussed the question of the occupied six counties with Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of the UK. The British-appointed government of the occupied six counties, the Northern Ireland Assembly, has currently been paralyzed for over a year because the Democratic Unionist Party has refused to work in the parliament over a dispute caused by Brexit. The Northern Ireland Assembly is supposed to represent the so-called “power-sharing” between the unionists and republicans in the occupied six counties.
Celebrating the 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement, which was mediated by the US, Biden urged the parties to return to the “power-sharing”, and urged the UK to “work more closely” with the Free State to ensure that “political violence never gains hold again” in the occupied six counties. We have earlier reported on the protests on the anniversary of the agreement. Additionally, in his address to the Irish parliament he vowed that the US will continue the close “economical partnership” with the Free State – which is one of the countries with the largest direct foreign investment from the US.
Activists of Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland protested outside of the meeting of the US president at Parkgate Street in Dublin on Thursday with slogans against US imperialism and the possible NATO membership of the Free State. The activists were outnumbered and surrounded by the police, but withstood the harassment and continued the protest. Also other protests in the city were persecuted by the police. Additionally, the Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland reports on Twitter that the police has gone out of its way to harass homeless people to ”clean up” the city ahead of the visit.
The previous day, the activists protested in front of the General Post Office In Dublin.
League of the Revolutionary Youth (Ligue de la Jeunesse Révolutionnaire) from France made an action in solidarity with the Irish activists, who were subjected to house raids on Monday.
