American conservatives are speaking out against Ireland’s attack on free speech, labeling phrases such as “Irish Lives Matter” as hate speech.
Dublin experienced violent protests over the past week after an Algerian man was identified as the suspect behind the stabbing of five individuals, including three children, outside of an “all-Irish” primary school November 24.
The man was reported to have been deported in 2008, but was able to gain citizenship, sparking outrage against Ireland’s immigration policies.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) blamed the violence on “far-right” ideology, labeling those who opposed immigration as racist.
Andrew Matson, a spokesperson for the PSNI said that law enforcement was “treating the matter as a hate incident.”
The protests had politicians in Northern Ireland voicing their opinions, including People Before Profit lawmaker Gerry Caroll, who referred to the phrase “Irish Lives Matter” as “racist poison.”
Ironic enough, Caroll is a huge supporter of Black Lives Matter.
Collin Rugg, co-owner of the conservative commentary site Trending Politics, had a different perspective, stating that “Ireland has officially gone mad.”
JUST IN: Irish police are investigating graffiti that reads ‘IRISH LIVES MATTER’ and are treating it as a ‘hate incident.’
Ireland has officially gone mad.
The graffiti comes after Irish citizens are rising up against their government and demanding action on the flow of… pic.twitter.com/DPrwO7O2jw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 29, 2023
The proposed anti-hate law would criminalize the possession of material “likely to incite violence or hatred,” and could punish individuals for simply having memes saved to their phones that some may consider politically offensive.
Nate Hochman, a staff writer for National Review, said that the bill is “arguably the most radical legislation of its kind we’ve seen in the West.”
The hate speech law that Ireland is preparing to pass is arguably the most radical legislation of its kind we've seen in the West.
It criminalizes the mere possession of materials that are "likely to incite violence or hatred" — books, videos, or even memes on your phone. https://t.co/K4EtD8iTZV pic.twitter.com/hMZos9zi84
— Nate Hochman (@njhochman) November 26, 2023
Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, stated in an interview with Newsnation that the recent events in Ireland are “all the more reason that people are now starting to wake up.” The immigration issue in Ireland has caused many Americans to raise concerns about the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I mean, borders matter,” Lara Trump added. “And you know, it’s funny because at one time, the borders of this country did matter to those in charge. Borders of a country like Ireland matter as well. And we have our own unique system and way of doing things; We need to know who’s coming into our country.”
The landscape of Northern Ireland’s societal tensions has been marred by signage and graffiti, leading to a police investigation as authorities labeled the slogan “Irish Lives Matter” to be potentially racist and a hate incident.
Inspector Andrew Matson of the Police Servic… pic.twitter.com/Y83SX4Mhpt
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) December 1, 2023
