The demonstrations begin tomorrow.
A series of Reclaim the Streets protests have been organised across Irish cities this week following the murder of Sarah Everard.
Sarah died earlier this month after being reported missing when she didn’t return home from a friend’s house in Clapham, London.
Her remains were discovered in a Kent woodland last week. Prior to this, police officer Wayne Couzens had been arrested in suspicion of murder.
Several demonstrations have since been organised across Ireland in remembrance of Sarah and in protest of continued violence against women. Former TD Ruth Coppinger announced the news this morning, stating that she and socialist feminist group ROSA were planning protests for Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and others.
https://twitter.com/RosaWomen/status/1371399530449616897?s=20
“Myself and ROSA are planning some protests,” she told Newstalk today. “More have been called in cities this week, in the five cities in the south and in Belfast tomorrow as well.
“The protest are in sorrow and anger at the murder of Sarah Everard. It’s resonated with women here in Ireland and in Britain.
“The testimonies of how women have to restrict their movements, and plan their lives, in case of harassment or attack […] Sarah did everything right, and still ended up dead.
“A woman is murdered every three days in Britain, every three hours in South Africa and 10 a day in Mexico.”
Coppinger said that the protests will be socially distanced and attendants will be encouraged to wear masks. She added that despite rules against outdoor gathering, concerns surrounding violence against women have only increased since the beginning of the pandemic.
“There’s a shadow pandemic of violence against women that’s actually escalated since Covid-19 began,” Coppinger said.
“What I’d say is this: the pandemic has gone on for a year, it could go on for another year. Are people seriously suggesting that there should be no protests for the duration?
“Outdoor protests with people wearing facial coverings aren’t dangerous […] protests should be considered essential, there should be a derogation for protests to take place that are essential.”
Protests in Dublin and Belfast are set to take place tomorrow, March 16, at noon and 6pm respectively. Additional demonstrations will take place in Galway, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford on March 18.
