Ireland to Ban Balaclavas Amid Rising Anti-Immigration Protests

[Social Media]

 

Ireland is set to ban the wearing of balaclavas and other face coverings at protests where there is clear intent to intimidate or evade police identification. This decision comes in response to a surge in disturbances at anti-immigration demonstrations. The government has received legal advice supporting the ban, which aims to curb the use of masks in potentially threatening situations.

 

Helen McEntee, the Justice Minister, confirmed the forthcoming legislation, stating, "The minister intends to introduce a ban on wearing masks at protests in circumstances where the wearing of a mask is intended to intimidate." This move is particularly significant in Ireland, where balaclavas carry a menacing connotation due to their historical association with paramilitary groups during the Troubles. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris highlighted the "potentially sinister overtures" of wearing balaclavas in Ireland in a recent internal note.

 

The new law will include exemptions for wearing face coverings for medical reasons or due to cold weather. This measure mirrors similar actions taken in the UK, where police were empowered to arrest masked protesters earlier this year following riots in Southport. In the UK, those found guilty of wearing masks with the intention to intimidate face a fine of £1,000 or up to a month in prison.

 

 

Ireland has witnessed a series of violent protests and riots linked to anti-immigration sentiments. In November last year, Dublin city center saw businesses looted and trams torched after children were attacked outside a city center creche. More recently, balaclava-wearing protesters clashed with Irish police at the proposed site of an asylum facility in Coolock, Dublin. Similar protests in June saw masked demonstrators gather outside Taoiseach Simon Harris’s family home to voice their opposition to the government's immigration policies. Despite the threats, Harris has refused to move to an official state residence, citing concerns about uprooting his family.

 

The unrest has also spread to Northern Ireland, where Irish far-right groups joined loyalist protesters in Belfast. Following the Southport stabbings, a rally outside Belfast City Hall turned violent, leading to the arrest of four people and the injury of three police officers. Reports indicate that loyalist groups, including the UDA in south Belfast and Carrickfergus, had encouraged their members to "mask up" and join the protest. The Irish far-right protesters, some wrapped in the Irish tricolour, were seen alongside hardline unionists waving the British flag and later drinking in a loyalist bar in Sandy Row. Sources told the Belfast Telegraph that the Irish far-right received a "heroes' welcome" in the pub.

 

The Irish government has condemned the actions of these protesters. The Taoiseach expressed disgust, stating, "This is repugnant to everything the Irish flag represents," after holding talks with Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland. Irish police and the Police Service of Northern Ireland are collaborating on an investigation into the Belfast riots, which saw businesses attacked and one set on fire.

 

Liam Kelly, Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, praised the professionalism of the police during these confrontations, saying, "Our teams showed professionalism throughout in the face of such hate-filled racism and far-right thuggery. This is not who we are. This is not the Belfast that has made great progress. Hate has no place on our streets and it has to stop before it causes further damage or results in innocent people being hurt by the baying mob."

 

The ban on balaclavas in Ireland aims to prevent the escalation of violence and ensure that protests remain peaceful and non-threatening. As the country grapples with rising anti-immigration sentiment, this legislative measure represents a step towards maintaining public order and safeguarding the values that the Irish flag represents.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph  2024-08-07

 

 

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[KhunLA]

But a hat, mask, and sunglasses would be allowed 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

Must be a bunch of numpties in governments if they can't see that their immigration policies are not acceptable to the citizens of the country and when it all goes wrong try to use the full force of the law to keep implementing wrong policies.

 

Hopefully the good citizens remember this when the elections come along.

 

The way it's going is IMO guaranteed to get a hard right government elected.

[JonnyF]

I assume the Hijab is still allowed?

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

I assume the Hijab is still allowed?

 

The hijab doesn't cover the face, so of course yes.

The niqab and burqa, however, possibly not.  (Niqab = narrow slit for eyes; burqa = woven mesh covering eyes.  Hijab simply covers the ever-so-erotica hair to prevent male Muslims having rape-y feelings they can't contain.  You may recall that Sheik Taj Aldin al-Hilali, a senior Australian cleric described women who didn't cover their hair as "uncovered meat", meaning that they invited sexual assault.  Of course, he didn't say it in English because, despite having been in the country since 1982, he doesn't speak the language.  Integration muchly?)

Edited August 7 by Foxx

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

I assume the Hijab is still allowed?

 

Why wouldn't it, as it only covers the hair and neck. 

[JonnyF]

15 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

 

Why wouldn't it, as it only covers the hair and neck. 

 

OK, how about the burqa?

 

Surely we can't have one rule for Muslims and one rule for the rest? Oh, wait a minute... 😃

[RuamRudy]

5 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

OK, how about the burqa?

 

Surely we can't have one rule for Muslims and one rule for the rest? Oh, wait a minute... 😃

 

More nonsense. You see perfectly entitled to wear a burqa should you wish. 

[biggles45]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Hopefully the good citizens remember this when the elections come along.

It doesn't really matter. Both govt options seen intent, for some reason, to pursue this madness of illegal immigration. I would expect that under Labour, with their left-wing agenda, numbers will increase 

[JonnyF]

13 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

More nonsense. You see perfectly entitled to wear a burqa should you wish. 

 

So a Burqa is OK but a Balaclava is not OK?

 

Is that what you are saying? (your second sentence doesn't make sense). 

[spidermike007]

I like this idea it makes complete sense if you talking about the security of a Nation you need to be able to keep track of troublemakers and while they're at it they should definitely ban the the niqab and burqa. Both are offensive, and both show a deliberate unwillingness to assimilate. It might work back in your home nation, and it might have worked 700 years ago, but it doesn't work today not in the West. 

 

I believe immigration policy should be reformed to the point where it should be staged, and all Muslim families should show a willingness to assimilate. I also believe that families with Muslim daughters who are teenagers can start by proving that they have  participated in a bikini contest, and for teenage boys they must show a burden of proof that they're not affiliated with any of the local madrasas. 

 

Are we serious about keeping our nation's safe from extremists, or not? 

[James105]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I like this idea it makes complete sense if you talking about the security of a Nation you need to be able to keep track of troublemakers and while they're at it they should definitely ban the the niqab and burqa. Both are offensive, and both show a deliberate unwillingness to assimilate. It might work back in your home nation, and it might have worked 700 years ago, but it doesn't work today not in the West. 

 

I believe immigration policy should be reformed to the point where it should be staged, and all Muslim families should show a willingness to assimilate. I also believe that families with Muslim daughters who are teenagers can start by proving that they have  participated in a bikini contest, and for teenage boys they must show a burden of proof that they're not affiliated with any of the local madrasas. 

 

Are we serious about keeping our nation's safe from extremists, or not? 

 

Putin nailed it.    

 

 

[koolkarl]

Ans Irish dictators just recognized Palestine as a state without consulting it's people.  Payback time.

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

OK, how about the burqa?

 

Surely we can't have one rule for Muslims and one rule for the rest? 

 

11 hours ago, Social Media said:

Ireland is set to ban the wearing of balaclavas and other face coverings at protests where there is clear intent to intimidate or evade police identification.

 

What part of the very first sentence did you not understand? 

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

So a Burqa is OK but a Balaclava is not OK?

 

Honestly, can you read at all.

 

Firstly, this is not an issue while out in public, it is only at protest areas where.... 'there is clear intent to intimidate or evade police identification.'

 

Secondly, it is about face coverings, not only a balaclava. 

 

 

Rest assured, Paddy and Seamus are free to walk down the street in a balaclava, but not allowed to wear their favorite burqa at protest sites if there is clear intent to intimidate or evade police identification.

 

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, JeffersLos said:

 

 

What part of the very first sentence did you not understand? 

 

I understood it perfectly thanks.

 

I also understand that this will not be applied to Muslim protesters. Expect more two tiered policing, due to 'cultural/religious sensitivities'. 

 

 

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, JeffersLos said:

Rest assured, Paddy and Seamus are free to walk down the street in a balaclava, but not allowed to wear their favorite burqa at protest sites if there is clear intent to intimidate or evade police identification.

 

It will be one rule for Paddy, and one rule for Aftab. 

[JeffersLos]

7 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I also understand that this will not be applied to Muslim protesters.

 

Burqa (eye slits only) clad women out to intimidate or evade police identification at Irish protest sites.... move over IRA and UVF. 

 

 

For someone that didn't even know what a hijab was a few hours ago you don't half come up with some notions. 

Edited August 7 by JeffersLos

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, JeffersLos said:

For someone that didn't even know what a hajib was a few hours ago you don't half come up with some notions. 

 

That might appear clever and even witty, if you knew the difference between a hijab and a hajib 😃😂😄.

 

Massive fail 😂

 

[jippytum]

Do they plan to ban the Burka also

[Watawattana]

43 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

Firstly, this is not an issue while out in public, it is only at protest areas where.... 'there is clear intent to intimidate or evade police identification.'

 

In Hong Kong in 2020, during the not so peaceful protests and the start of COVID, face coverings were both mandatory and illegal at the same time.  The bit in quotes above were true there too.

[RichardColeman]

OK, then the burka will have to be banned or the rioters will wear burkas instead !

[JeffersLos]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

That might appear clever and even witty, if you knew the difference between a hijab and a hajib 😃😂😄.

 

Massive fail 😂

 

 

5 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I assume the Hijab is still allowed?

 

Thank you for proving just how clueless you were only this morning. 🙂

[Freddy42OZ]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I like this idea it makes complete sense if you talking about the security of a Nation you need to be able to keep track of troublemakers and while they're at it they should definitely ban the the niqab and burqa. Both are offensive, and both show a deliberate unwillingness to assimilate. It might work back in your home nation, and it might have worked 700 years ago, but it doesn't work today not in the West. 

 

I believe immigration policy should be reformed to the point where it should be staged, and all Muslim families should show a willingness to assimilate. I also believe that families with Muslim daughters who are teenagers can start by proving that they have  participated in a bikini contest, and for teenage boys they must show a burden of proof that they're not affiliated with any of the local madrasas. 

 

Are we serious about keeping our nation's safe from extremists, or not? 

Let's ban kilts in England because its not normal for men to wear skirts. 

This video is a great example of how utterly moronic some of these far right white protesters are, its wonderful how the host of the radio show picks apart his arguments. 
 

 

[James105]

4 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

 

Burqa (eye slits only) clad women out to intimidate or evade police identification at Irish protest sites.... move over IRA and UVF. 

 

 

For someone that didn't even know what a hijab was a few hours ago you don't half come up with some notions. 

 

Islamist terrorists have on many occasions worn a Burqa as a disguise e.g

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-24800671

[Celsius]

I love baklavas. tasty stuff

[transam]

Good idea, take one tool away from the thugs, let's be able to know who they are to prosecute, it's just common sense...........

 

For some on here, I doubt you will see a naughty bloke in a Burka running down the road with a baseball bat....😂

I doubt a bloke in a kilt could hide a baseball bat under it, either.....😂

[RuamRudy]

37 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

Islamist terrorists have on many occasions worn a Burqa as a disguise e.g

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-24800671

 

Christian terrorists have, on many occasions worn a (sic) balaclava as a disguise e.g.

 

 

[Regyai]

Surely they could just claim IRA membership (been okay for them for decades)

[CG1 Blue]

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Must be a bunch of numpties in governments if they can't see that their immigration policies are not acceptable to the citizens of the country and when it all goes wrong try to use the full force of the law to keep implementing wrong policies.

Exactly this. Allowing thousands of undocumented fighting age men from Africa and the ME to stay in the country was never going to sit well with the people. 

 

My Irish mate and I predicted a long time ago there will be riots in Ireland and the UK if the governments continued to bury their heads in the sand. 

 

Most ordinary people have just had enough, and many are joining the protests.

 

The worse thing Starmer could do now is pretend these UK protesters are all far right thugs, and ignore the underlying message. Oh wait, that's exactly what he's doing...