Refugees and those seeking international protection are welcome in Cork, a rally of about 40 people heard on Thursday.

The rally, which took place on the Grand Parade, was organised by the group International Community Dynamics.

Human rights activist Roos Demol, who works with refugees and asylum seekers, said it was vital that people in Cork resist the rise of the far right, and demonstrate that the vast majority of Irish people are welcoming to those who come here in need of international protection.

“It is an absolute disgrace that far-right people are protesting outside asylum centres, where there are people who are traumatised,” Ms Demol said.

Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry said the Government’s recent, temporary decision to no longer offer accommodation to some asylum seekers was a really negative step which could see large numbers of asylum seekers sleeping on the street in a short period.

“If the Government wanted to create tensions in society around these issues, they would have been hard put to find a policy better than this to do so, and the policy should be changed straight away,” Mr Barry said.

Labour Party member of Cork City Council John Maher, said he was there to support refugees and asylum seekers and to demonstrate that Cork is a safe harbour for all who seek shelter.

“My own mam and her family came down here from Belfast in the late ‘60s, as refugees, and ‘they took our houses’ was the message and that wasn’t true, and 55 years later they are leaders in the community because they were given a chance, they were given hope and they were given an opportunity, and the people here today, that’s all they’re asking for too,” Cllr Maher said.

UCC academic Piaras Mac Éinrí said the rise of the far right was leading to racist demagoguery not seen in this country since the days of General Eoin O’Duffy’s Blueshirts.

“These are not just people who want to change the political system, they want to take politicians out and put them against a wall and shoot them,” Mr Mac Éinrí said.

“Their whole interest is in spreading hate and in spreading division.” Throughout the rally, speakers were heckled by a young man who later self-identified as a member of the National Party, a minor far right group which was formed in 2016 and which has never had elected representatives.

Speaking after the rally, Ms Demol said she had been happy with the afternoon’s proceedings.

“There were some far-right people showed up but we managed to ignore them, because they are a tiny minority but they make an awful lot of noise,” Ms Demol said.

“There were some excellent messages from Irish people, people whose skin might be differently coloured, but they’re as Irish as everyone else, and that’s what some people need to understand.”