Calls to counteract 'weaponised' Irish flags stirring division in Dublin city
A conscious effort must be made to counteract the Irish flag being weaponised to sow division, hatred, and fear across Dublin , a local councillor has said.
Social Democrats Councillor Noelle Brown has proposed countermeasures to show opposition to those illegally erecting the tricolour flag around the city. She asked that Dublin City Council agree to put up bunting made up of diversity and equality flags on poles around the South East Area.
“The weaponized use of our flag is upsetting so many people in our community who do not want that as a reflection of where they live and who they are,” Cllr Brown stated at the South East Area Committee meeting last Monday. “It’s in danger of being normalised."
While the tricolours on the national flag of Ireland have traditionally been associated with ideas of unity, many have interpreted their recent proliferation around the city as a conscious campaign by right-wing activists to spread an anti-immigration message. Having attached the flags to poles without permission from the council, this mirrors similar campaigns in the United Kingdom.
The response from the council stated that action should be on a citywide basis as the ongoing flag issue extends beyond just the South East Area. While the council “are mindful of the opinion and feelings of communities across Dublin on this matter,” they said this is an issue that will need to be addressed at the relevant SPC.
Cllr Brown accepted the response but stressed this is an issue that needs to be responded to quickly as it has been going for far too long. She highlighted Dublin communities who have already taken the matter into their own hands.
“In North Strand they’ve taken their own initiative and they’ve had a mural painted saying ‘North Strand Welcomes All,” Cllr Brown said. She told the committee that she brought it forward as “a starting point,” suggesting that small actions like this could gradually expand across the city.
Rather than a large-scale response, Cllr Brown believes that “equality and diversity flags used in an appropriate way” could help counteract what she described as “deeply disturbing” developments of weaponised flags. “As someone who, during marriage equality, had a ‘NO’ poster outside my window for the whole campaign, it does land hard.”
Independents4Change Cllr Pat Dunne noted that Cork City Council’s decision to remove flags put up by anti-migrant groups led to around 250 protestors gathering in the city last week. “I’m not advocating we take down the flags because I think that’s a trap people fall into,” he said. “But let’s have a consultation in areas where flags have gone up to see what the view of the community is because there’s intimidation in certain areas as well.”
However, Independent Cllr Mannix Flynn said the law is clear and that the flags have been erected illegally. Considering this, he claims there’s no reason not to remove the flags and in normal instances those breaking the law would be issued a fine and, if unpaid, be brought to court for littering.
“The point of the matter is that they are unlawful. It’s obviously an effort that’s been made in consultation with other individuals,” he said. “The vast majority of people in these areas want these flags removed.”
There are also safety concerns for those tasked with taking down the flags, as councillors referenced people being intimated. “We owe a duty of care to our staff and to representatives. I have seen multiple times, online and offline, of people being threatened when they try to take down these flags,” Green Party Cllr Hazel Chu added.
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