One arrested after Dáil Traveller protest

One man was arrested following the end of a peaceful protest by members of the Traveller community, calling on the Taoiseach and other party leaders to challenge instances of anti-Traveller sentiment.

Between 80 to 100 protesters took part in a rally outside the Dáil today to bring attention to discrimination towards members of their community. The man was arrested after trying to block the road on the Kildare Street entrance to Leinster House. Before being arrested, he said he felt the rally did not go far enough and encouraged others to block the road.

The protest, organised by the Irish Traveller Movement, aimed to highlight recent incidents of anti-Traveller sentiment, particularly from "public representatives and members of the judiciary", according to movement director Brigid Quilligan, who handed letters to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and other political party representatives for their leaders.

Labour TD Aodhán Ó'Ríordáin, who accepted the letter for his party, said it was a dignified rally.

Some 40 Travellers' rights groups joined in the protest, which comes soon after the burning of a house set aside for a Traveller family in Ballyshannon in Co Donegal.

Speaking to protesters, Ms Quilligan said anti-Traveller hatred is at an all time high.

“Recent events have caused a significant upsurge of incitement to hatred against us in social media and on the internet in general,” she said.