road block Irish group organises Canadian-style 'Freedom Convoy' against 'elite' for Dublin next month

'We stand against their unlawful restrictions, their never ending fuel increases..…rent increases ….'

The group is calling for a 'Freedom Convoy'

Neil Fetherstonhaugh

February 23 2022 04:36 PM

An Irish group is organising a Canadian-style ‘Freedom Convoy’ to Dublin on March 19.

A Facebook page entitled ‘Freedom Convoy Ireland 2022’ that has more than 3,000 members is calling for a convoy to descend on Dublin next month to protest against “unlawful restrictions”.

“This group and convoy is in existence to help every person show they've had enough of the ‘elite’ dictating what we should and shouldn't accept, they have created division amongst the people and oppression at every avenue possible,” a post on the site reads.

“We stand against their unlawful restrictions, their never ending fuel increases..…rent increases ….basically the never-ending rising costs of living which affects everybody....It will never end unless we stand together as one and end it ourselves.”

The page has generated numerous messages of support from people in Ireland and abroad who are backing the protest.

“Total support for human right's fighting missions! For me, these are not protests. They are a different way of humanitarian missions! Love, from Portugal,” one person has posted.

“Not up and down the toll roads of Ireland,” another suggests. “It needs to be through each town to have any impact. And round and round Rte studios.. Otherwise it won't even be on TV.”

Another says: “It needs to be through each town and meet up in Dublin from all over the country. But if you don't hit Rte first then you are wasting your time. It won't matter if you block Dublin completely.

“The beating heart of this country is Rte then the dial (Dail) then everything else in that order. Once Miriam, or Claire or Joe Duffy can't get to work then you have impact.”

The Canadian truckers protest that began in opposition to vaccine mandates for truck drivers has caused chaos in Ottawa and drawn in fringe and far-right elements.

Demonstrators used hundreds of trucks and vehicles to block the city centre since 28 January, prompting the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, to invoke rarely used emergency powers.

The protest is due to take place in March

It has since spread to Europe where those opposed to Covid-19 policies to promote vaccination and to reduce the spread of the disease have attempted to carry out similar protests.

However, demonstrators inspired by the Canadian truckers protest have been thwarted from gathering in large numbers as European cities headed them off with bans and police checkpoints.

Authorities in Austria, Belgium and France moved to ban the protest and avoid a repeat of the grinding gridlock caused by the demonstration on key road-trade routes between Canada and the United States.

In France, it was taken up by yellow-vest protest groups as motorists converged on Paris on Saturday, honking and brandishing French flags.

Police prevented most of the convoy from entering the city, but a few dozen reached the Champs-Élysées where they were later dispersed with tear gas.

In Brussels the city mayor Philippe Close said the motorists would not be allowed to “take the capital hostage” as police halted vehicles with French number plates along motorway routes into Belgium.

Checkpoints were also set up around Strasbourg, and security at its European institutions was beefed up after protesters indicated they would take their concerns to the sitting of the European Parliament in the French city this week.

The protests have fed into lingering frustration towards Covid-19 measures and anger over increases in the cost of living.