LATEST: Limerick fuel protests cancelled as organisers admit lack of numbers
Protests organised to delay EU leaders travelling to and from Shannon Airport have been cancelled due to lack of numbers and following warnings from the Garda Commissioner
FUEL protests which were planned for Limerick on Friday have been cancelled, the organisers have confirmed.
The protests, which would have seen slow-moving vehicles travelling in convoy from several ‘feeder locations’ were expected to cause delays on several primary routes around the city, including the M7 and M18.
However, Limerick Live has learned they have been cancelled due to a lack of support and amid warnings from gardai that road blockages will not be tolerated.
Commissioner Justin Kelly said that while gardaí would always facilitate peaceful protest, any disruption, interference, violence or criminality would be dealt with robustly.
"In relation to fuel protests themselves, there'll be absolutely no toleration for any blockage, anything in the next few days, anything around motorways, critical infrastructure, or any of the EPC locations," he told reporters earlier this week.
The protests, which did not have the support of recognised representatives of the haulage industry, were organised to pressure the Government to lower fuel prices and to reduce tax rates.
The People Of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest, led by Kildare tow-truck operator Sonny Boyd, announced on social media that the original momentum has been lost and that “the appetite for another nationwide protest simply isn’t where it needs to be”.
The protestors were set to travel towards Shannon where they planned on blocking the main road in an effort to delay foreign dignitaries travelling through Shannon Airport, who are participating in a meeting of EU Heads of State in Dublin.
The Shannon blockage was intended to be part of a larger nationwide protest involving convoys clogging roads across the country with the nucleus of the whole operation causing traffic chaos around Dublin during the major meeting of EU Leaders on Friday.
A smaller localised protest planned for Limerick was set to meet at locations in Newcastle West, Kilmallock and Rathkeale before travelling to Limerick city centre where the ‘rolling blockade’ was intended to bring city traffic to a standstill.
In cancelling the planned protests, the organisers blamed the ‘zero-tolerance’ approach of gardai to traffic disruption, stating, “We are simply not prepared to put people’s driving licences, jobs, businesses and livelihoods at risk.”
The protest was planned to take place during the largest policing and security operation in the history of the Irish State, mounted to protect the two major EU summits in Dublin on Thursday and Friday.
Limerick Live has learned that in the protest’s main WhatsApp group, only a small number of people indicated they would be joining localised protests and the main Dublin-bound convoy.
The protests also suffered a major blow on Tuesday when the Irish Haulage Association confirmed that it would not support the blockades.
The statement from organisers, posted via social media, reads: “We cannot organise major convoys and demonstrations throughout the country without having the numbers and support behind us.”
While the nationwide rolling convoys have been curtailed, localised on-foot protests in Dublin are still anticipated to go ahead.
The appetite for another nationwide protest simply isn’t where it needs to be
The first round of protests occurred back in April when traffic blockades led by farmers, hauliers and transport-dependent workers caused nationwide disruption to transport networks and fuel supply chains.
These protests were supported by the IRHA, the Irish Farmers’ Association and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association. They called for a fuel price cap and a suspension of carbon taxes on fuel.
It is understood that Irish far-right groups were involved in the protests from an early stage and that key organisers regularly share anti-immigrant sentiment on social media.
The statement from the organisers read: “We also have to acknowledge something that we believe was a major mistake. Following the meeting in Moate, County Westmeath, we firmly believe that we should have taken to the streets immediately after the Budget. That was the moment when the anger, frustration and determination were at their strongest. “
“The Government had just delivered a Budget that, in our opinion, did absolutely nothing meaningful to help the ordinary working man and woman struggling with the cost of living. People were angry. People were motivated. People were ready to stand together and demand change. That was the time to act.”
It continued, “Unfortunately, too much time has now passed, and we believe that the momentum we had has been lost. The anger is still there. The problems have not gone away. Fuel is still far too expensive, businesses are still under enormous pressure, and families are still struggling to make ends meet. But the appetite for another nationwide protest simply isn’t where it needs to be.”