Irish Times 📰 Seminar hears how communities being targeted by anti-immigration elements are ‘on a knife-edge.’

The situation in some communities where the “far right is gaining a foothold like never before” was “on a knife-edge” and “could go either way”, depending on how the issue was responded to, a seminar this week heard.

The event on Wednesday was hosted by the Far Right Observatory (FRO), a civil society organisation which monitors, analyses and strategises to counter far right activities.

FRO director Niamh McDonald said activists were “whipping up fear and panic” in communities that had “lost trust” in political leaders, institutions and the mainstream media.

“This is time to make tracks on the ground that will lead to the local elections in 2024,” she said. “We can’t fool ourselves about that. They are going to start running candidates in every area. Right now, these situations are on a knife-edge.”

We want to bring the temperature right down, which is in complete opposition to what the far right are doing

Responses to far-right rhetoric should be led by “trusted actors” within communities, Ms McDonald added. 

Continue reading @ Irish Times.

Far Right In Ireland ‘Gaining A Foothold Like Never Before’

Irish Times 📰 Seminar hears how communities being targeted by anti-immigration elements are ‘on a knife-edge.’

The situation in some communities where the “far right is gaining a foothold like never before” was “on a knife-edge” and “could go either way”, depending on how the issue was responded to, a seminar this week heard.

The event on Wednesday was hosted by the Far Right Observatory (FRO), a civil society organisation which monitors, analyses and strategises to counter far right activities.

FRO director Niamh McDonald said activists were “whipping up fear and panic” in communities that had “lost trust” in political leaders, institutions and the mainstream media.

“This is time to make tracks on the ground that will lead to the local elections in 2024,” she said. “We can’t fool ourselves about that. They are going to start running candidates in every area. Right now, these situations are on a knife-edge.”

We want to bring the temperature right down, which is in complete opposition to what the far right are doing

Responses to far-right rhetoric should be led by “trusted actors” within communities, Ms McDonald added. 

Continue reading @ Irish Times.

No comments