A leading loyalist has warned there may be large scale protests causing “instability” in Dublin next month over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Jamie Bryson, 31, said he would see the proposed move, which would likely take place after the traditional July 12 Orange marches, as a “perfectly logical next step” following several small recent demos in loyalist areas.
The claim has raised fears of a repeat of the notorious Love Ulster riots in 2006, when a loyalist gathering on Dublin’s O’Connell St was attacked by republican counter-protestors.
This resulted in 14 people injured and widespread damage to property, along with sporadic opportunist looting of clothing stores.
Dublin Chamber of Commerce later calculated the damage to the city’s economy at €10m.
Bryson, who has addressed some of the loyalist demos in the North so far, told BBC Radio Ulster: “There’s a feeling that the European Union and that the Irish Government certainly aren’t listening, given the increasingly aggressive rhetoric coming from them.
“If you’re going to protest, then clearly there has to be a target for that protest and I’ve heard many people discussing in recent weeks that minds should turn to bringing those protests to the part of the European Union that was responsible for this protocol.
“I think it’s a perfectly logical next step unless in the interim something dramatic happens to show that the concerns of unionists and loyalists are being taken on board.”
Bryson also told the Belfast Newsletter that there would be no attempt to work with authorities here ahead of any Dublin march.
He said: “Why would we need to? Is Dublin not fully supportive of the European Convention of Human Rights and the freedom to protest?”
“If they are going to impose instability on Northern Ireland in the form of the Protocol then we can impose instability on their country.”
Bryson later insisted that the protests would be peaceful and said the very nature of the demos would be designed to “create enough noise” which would cause instability by itself.
Gardai said protestors would not require any permit for such a march, but said it would encourage anyone taking part to “liaise with An Garda Síochána in advance to assist in the safe and peacefully organisation of the event” and obey Covid regulations.
