Gardaí have attempted to crackdown on a protest against U.S. aggression, entitled #WeRememberTheVictims and organised by the Cuba Support Group, to coincide with the visit of Joe Biden to the Phoenix Park today.

Gardaí in riot gear, who arrived in two cars and three vans, confiscated a large Cuban flag which had been unfurled for the protest, as well as the car which had been used to transport the flag. One Garda made an unfounded comment implying that a tool used to unfurl the flag had been brought along for more sinister purposes. 

Before leaving and dispersing the protesters, Gardaí took down the names and addresses of the attendees, which included a Workers’ Party member. A number of the protesters were questioned further after they had left the demonstration.

This is quite clearly an over-the-top response to a handful of people peacefully protesting US imperialism, but perhaps it is to be expected from the Irish state given the heavy economic reliance of our economy on a handful of American multinational corporations, as well as the other areas in which the US influences our affairs.

The Irish capitalist class and their political establishment wish to use the Biden visit as an opportunity to fawn over America and to convince working people to do the same, and they clearly do not wish to see any dissent from this.

The Workers’ Party stands against US imperialism and against heavy-handed policing being implemented against those peacefully expressing such opinions.

Note: This article has been updated to reflect a report from the Cuba Support Group that the vehicle used to transport the flag, as well as the flag itself, has been towed away, and that activists were subsequently harassed after leaving the protest.