LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES IN Cork City have called for increased Garda protections for library workers and members of the public in the wake of far-right protests at the city’s library.

Cork City library was forced to shut yesterday as a result of a protest at the entrance by anti-LGBTQ+ protestors. Demonstrators mounted a banner during the protest, which they refused to remove when requested to do so by library staff and gardaí.

In a statement, Cork City Libraries said that the library was closed before the banner was draped across the entrance.

An initial statement had caused confusion, after it appeared the library was forced to close because the banner was mounted without permission. A spokesperson later clarified that this was not the case.

“The decision had been taken to close due to public safety concerns,” a statement said.

“As part of a protest on Grand Parade, a banner was mounted across the entrance without permission. A request was made in a civil way, to the protesters, by Cork City Library staff that the banner be removed.

“This request was refused and resulted in an escalation of a tense situation. Having liaised with An Garda Síochána, it was decided it would be unsafe for library staff to attempt to remove the banner.”

The earlier statement also said:

It should be noted that Cork City Libraries does not endorse the placing of banners on our library buildings. We would like to apologise to all library users for today’s disruption to service which was outside of our control.

The protest was one of many that been staged at the library by figures that object to certain books LGBTQ+ being available there. 

Earlier this month, hundreds of protestors marched through Cork in a demonstration calling for greater protections for workers in libraries.

Organisers said library staff were facing ever more aggressive attacks by a disparate group of demonstrators opposed to trans and LGBTQI+ literature. Staff members have been subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation during the course of their work, organisers said.

Increased protections

Commenting on the recent protests, Green Party Cork City councillor Dan Boyle said that protection from gardaí for library staff and the general public needed to be increased.

Boyle said that there were certain bye-laws in relation to the library that had gone into abeyance (temporary disuse) that needed to be reinstated. 

“They would certainly challenge some of the behaviour we’ve seen happening, like the recording in intimidatory way within the library, threatening of staff and the attachment of banners to the building itself,” he told TheJournal.

So it’s to give us a legal basis to, I suppose, encourage… the gardaí, to take particular action.

Boyle said the behaviour of protestors towards staff had been intimidatory and that gardaí should act on this basis.

“It’s not even borderline harassment, it’s direct harassment of – initially – the staff of the central library, [then] discouragement of the general public to use the facilities.

So I think there are many public order grounds on which to take action against these individuals, and I think many public representatives will be asking that action be taken.

Boyle said he would be raising the issue tomorrow at a meeting of Core – the Cork City Centre retail group. 

Meanwhile, Cork City Lord Mayor Kieran McCarthy said yesterday that he would be meeting with senior gardaí in relation to the protests:

“Clear actions of heightened harassment by a v small minority, &now forcing the closure of a public library &intimidation of staff who are now locking themselves in their offices,” McCarthy said on Twitter.

I will be meeting with senior gardaí this week calling for a stop to such horrific harassment.

Labour Party councillor John Maher tweeted that he had written to the Chief Executive of the council in the wake of the closure. 

“We, as Cork City Council must learn from Saturday, expect more from Garda management and never allow a public building to be closed again because of a ultra-vocal minority, peddling hate,” he wrote.

Local councillor for An Rabharta Glas Lorna Bogue also called for more action from gardaí:

“If gardaí protected library staff as they’ve been called upon to several times by council, there’d be no need to close the library,” she said on Twitter.

Gardaí routinely protect landlords evicting tenants, yet are unable to protect city council workers from the threat posed by a few far-right goons.

In a statement in relation to the policing of the protest yesterday, a garda spokesperson said:

“Gardaí attended the scene of a demonstration on Grand Parade, Cork on Saturday afternoon, 29th July 2023. Local Gardaí engaged with the parties present.

“There were no incidents reported and no arrests were made. Those involved dispersed in a peaceful manner.

“There is a constitutional right to the freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, subject to statutory provisions. An Garda Síochána respects the right for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights.

An Garda Síochána has no role in permitting or authorising public gatherings.

The Journal has contacted Cork City Council for comment.

Clarification: This piece was updated on 3 August after The Journal sought an additional statement from Cork City Libraries in light of new footage which emerged from the day of the protest. The updated piece reflects the fact that a decision was made to close the library before a banner was hung across the entrance, and includes a new statement.