About 300 anti-globalisation protesters demonstrated outside the Dublin Stock Exchange in Anglesea Street yesterday as part of the worldwide May Day protests, writes Paul Cullen.
In contrast to some of the protests occurring elsewhere, the Irish demonstration was peaceful. Trading at the stock exchange was unaffected, but the building closed its doors at lunchtime in advance of the arrival of protesters in the late afternoon.
Outside the stock exchange, the protesters chanted slogans, blew whistles and listened to speeches, while a small force of gardai looked on.
"We had the windows open because of the good weather, but to be honest, it wasn't a great deal louder than your typical Temple Bar crowd during the summer," said the chief executive, Mr Tom Healy.
After an hour the demonstrators marched through the city centre to the Dail, before dispersing peacefully. The protest was organised by Globalise Resistance, a new umbrella organisation for activists concerned about debt, environmental issues and sweatshop labour.
Meanwhile, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has urged workers to mark May Day "by extending the hand of friendship and solidarity to migrant workers, refugees and asylum-seekers".
"Congress encourages all workers to actively promote intercultural workplaces where immigrants will have equal rights, feel welcome and be able to participate fully," the ICTU general secretary, Mr Peter Cassells, said.
He added that Congress fully supported "the demands of the International Federation of Free Trade Unions for respect for fundamental rights at work throughout the world. The International Labour Organisation recognises basic rights for workers, including the right to join unions, to refuse forced labour, to reject child labour and to work free from discrimination."