Protestors in the Phoenix Park have been told to "get real" after showing "blatant disregard" for public safety, according to a Dublin City Councillor.
Independent councillor Mannix Flynn also urged people to remember that there is "light at the end of the tunnel" after around 1,000 people gathered near Aras an Uachtarain last night in a planned protest against the introduction of vaccine passes.
Pictures from the event showed the majority of the crowd were unmasked, while Gardai were also in attendance for the duration.
Cllr Flynn told 98fm that the he respected people's right to protest, but that the protestors should also respect the efforts being made to open up as much of society as safely as possible.
"Here we have a blatant disregard for the rest of us," he said
"We respect their right to protest, or to not wear a masks, but they also have to respect our rights in relation to this particular matter.
"They also have to respect our laws as we seek to protect ourselves and protect our society, as we open up the economy and gain more and more freedoms.
"People need to get real with this.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel. I think we should persist with the policies that exist at the moment. Take your vaccination and let's all live together.
"We live in a democracy, and of course people have a right to protest, but not at the cost of other people's lives of course."
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