Protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump were held in Dublin on Saturday, while the American head of state was in official meetings with Irish President Catherine Connolly and Prime Minister Micheal Martin.
Demonstrators gathered in the Garden of Remembrance area of Parnell Square and marched through the center of the Irish capital. Some of the protesters carried banners against Washington's foreign policy, the war in the Middle East and the migration policy of the Trump administration. According to Irish authorities, the protest was announced in advance and the police secured its route.
The action was held with a heavy police presence. The Irish police – Gardaí – described the security operation surrounding the visit as one of the largest in the country's history. Parts of Dublin's city centre remained open, but temporary traffic restrictions and phased street closures were imposed in some places for the march.
Among the organisers and participants are representatives of anti-war and pro-Palestinian movements. The Irish Neutrality League has previously called for a gathering in Dublin city centre, and left-wing MP Paul Murphy said he expected thousands of people to take to the streets against Trump's policies.
The US president's visit has also caused tension because of his positions on the conflict in Gaza. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald used the visit to call on Washington to end arms sales to Israel and apply to the Middle East the same approach to diplomacy and peace that the US had in Northern Ireland.
There have been no reports of serious clashes or incidents during the demonstrations in Dublin so far. Police have previously said they will guarantee the right to peaceful protest, while also seeking to limit traffic and public order disruptions.
Protests are also planned elsewhere on Trump's itinerary in Ireland. After his meetings in Dublin, the US president will travel to County Clare, where the Irish Open is being held at his Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg. Demonstrations are expected around Shannon Airport and in the Doonbeg area, where the authorities have designated special zones for protesters.
The Associated Press also reports that Trump's visit was accompanied by public discontent and protests, related both to his political positions and to the fact that the visit combined official engagements with a visit to his own golf resort.