Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community has ‘great concern’ over the rise of the far-right, according to the National LGBT Federation.
Board Director Adam Long told The Pat Kenny Show this morning that the threat far-right agitators pose to minority communities “needs to be taken seriously” before it is too late.
Mr Long said there is now widespread fear in the Irish community.
“There is great concern in the LGBT community regarding the activities and agitation of the far right in Ireland,” he said.
“We have been very vocal and clear on this that the threat needs to be taken very seriously.
“The disorder and thuggery we saw on November 23rd should be seen as an escalation of the far-right extremism that has been targeting asylum accommodation centres.”
Mr Long said the far-right has employed several tactics in recent months in attempting to “erase LGBT visibility”.
“We’ve seen protests at libraries and bookshops stocking LGBT material,” he said.
“This far-right agitation is seeking to censor and erase LGBT visibility and representation in our libraries.”
Mr Long is calling for a number of measures to be put in place.
“We are calling for the passage of the Hate Crime Bill which is before the Oireachtas at the moment,” he said.
“We agree with the Tánaiste and Taoiseach who said that our laws need to be fit for purpose to respond to extremism and hate.
“Also, we need to see our online platforms held to account; we need to have a rigorous framework put in place there.”
Russia
This comes after the Russian Supreme Court designated the ‘international LGBTQ+ community’ as an ‘extremist’ organisation.
Mr Long said it is now a worrying time for the LGBT community across the world.
“This is a culmination of the extreme persecution we have seen in Russia over the last number of decades that has intensified in recent years,” he said.
“It’s a common feature of autocrats like Vladimir Putin to deflect from internal issues like corruption and the failure of the war in Ukraine.
“You see this scapegoating of minorities and the LGBT community as a result, we’re often referred to as ‘The canary in the coal mine.’”
Raids
A number of gay bars were raided by police in Moscow over the weekend following the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Mr Long criticised the ruling that allowed for such raids to occur.
“There is no singular ‘international LGBT movement’ as Russia has said so I think this is designed to instil fear and spread hatred.
“Hours after that judgement was handed down, we saw numerous gay bars being raided about Moscow.
“I think that is a testament to the intent of this move which is meant to further persecute this already highly vulnerable LGBT community in Russia.”
Mr Long added that members of the LBGTQ+ community are living in fear in Russia and considering fleeing the country.
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Main Image: Protesters hold a Pride flag during a Gay Pride demonstration in St Petersburg in Russia, 12-08-2017. Image: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy
