Priest calls out racism during the fuel protests: ‘It’s very anti-Christian’

Trump’s nationalism could be seen during the fuel protests, said ACP priest, Fr Roy Donovan. “The Irish flags on tractors and trucks, and people carrying the flags. It’s kind of the narrow nationalism of Trump, that kind of far-right stuff. It’s very intimidating.” For the priest, “The racism put out during the protests and the blockages needs to be called out.”

The priest noticed “a number of people giving out about giving that 40 million to the Ukrainians. and that it should be given to the farmers and the contractors.” The priest understands that “the grievances of the farmers and the contractors are very real and need to be addressed,” but believes that some comments are “racist” and “anti-Christian.” He noticed that “even some people who are going to Mass have these racist views”.

Fr Donovan believes “the Irish Church in every diocese needs to call this out.” He believes “the Church needs to come out strongly at this time.” That the Church needs “to respond to this immediately on the ground.”

For the priest, people should follow the Pope’s approach: “Leo has come out with great clarity, and his clarity and calmness, and thought-out speech is having a massive effect in America. It’s obviously hurting Trump… From a Church point of view, we need to be more proactive on racism and listening to people on the ground who are saying that they’re experiencing racism.”

A member of the IC staff personally experienced the intimidation Fr Donovan was talking about. “When I was walking on O’Connell Street on Saturday, I was approached by three women who quickly asked, ‘Are you a tourist?’ in a very harsh tone. Feeling threatened, I responded by saying ‘yes’, and was then asked when I am leaving Ireland, and I answered ‘next week’. I believe if the initial answer was different, I would have encountered more racist slurs.”

On a LinkedIn post, Irish Independent’s Sarah Carey mentioned the protestors feeling “ambushed” by the Gardaí during the blockage removal, and said, “What did they do to the people of Ireland all week except ambush them without due process with an ‘army’ of men who seemed to complain as much about foreigners as they did about fuel prices?”

Fr Donovan understands “it’s very hard to change mentalities,” however, people should “learn from the four astronauts who have gone to the moon” that the Earth is just a small planet with limited resources, and that we all need to work together rather than this nationalism that Trump, Farage, Brexit and all those are putting forward…. It’s very anti-Christian.”