The Taoiseach has claimed a protest at a Fine Gael meeting in Cork last night was “profoundly undemocratic.”
A number of protestors interrupted a town hall meeting being held by the Leo Varadkar and the Tánaiste Simon Coveney.
The group, called the Connolly Youth Movement, disrupted the meeting to read out statements protesting homelessness and austerity.
They called for a minute’s silence for homeless people who have died on the streets - before continuing to read statements and getting heckled by Fine Gael supporters.
The meeting, calling for a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming plebiscites on directly elected mayors in Waterford, Cork and Limerick had to be suspended and, for a time, it looked like it may be abandoned.
A Fine Gael meeting in Cork has been suspended after protesters crashed it. Angry scenes from the local members present pic.twitter.com/NPfoLPuinn
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) May 1, 2019
Just as the meeting was about to be cancelled they left.
The Taoiseach was not impressed by the action – insisting it was undemocratic.
“I think no matter what political party somebody may come from or what somebody’s political beliefs may be, we should all be committed to democracy and we should all be committed to free speech,” he said.
“Trying to shout other people down or trying to shut down their meetings is profoundly undemocratic.”
Connolly Youth Movement spokesperson Alexander Homits said the group has a right to challenge Fine Gael policies.
“Fine Gael has introduced austerity policy and austerity policy and we don’t believe they can come here, have public meeting and not be questioned or challenged about it,” he said.
It was the second protest the Taoiseach faced yesterday after angry farmers gathered outside the Cabinet meeting in Cork.
Leo Varadkar jeered by protesting farmers as he arrives for this morning’s cabinet meeting.
“Where’s the beef ya vegan ya” was my personal favourite shout pic.twitter.com/8qjjsCwKwQ
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) May 1, 2019
The farmers are calling for a Brexit support package – and have accused the Government of standing idly by, adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to the UKs EU exit.
