Prominent protestor arrested in Cork city for alleged harassment

A man who has played a prominent role in protests against the availability of LGBTQ+ books in public libraries has been arrested for questioning about alleged harassment.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed that a man had been arrested on Saturday evening at a Cork city centre garda station “in connection with reports of alleged harassment”.

It is understood that members of An Garda Síochána had called to the man’s home earlier on Saturday but had not met him.

The man subsequently presented himself at the Bridewell Garda Station, where he was arrested and questioned under caution.

In a statement to The Echo, An Garda Síochána said: “A male was arrested on Saturday, 26 August 2023 in connection with reports of alleged harassment.

“The male was later detained at a garda station in Cork. He has since been released.

“A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions,” the statement concluded.

The garda press office did not respond when asked whether the incident in question related to the alleged harassment of a serving member of An Garda Síochána.

The man who was arrested on Saturday has played a prominent role in a ongoing series of protests against LGBTQ+ reading material in public libraries, twice leading to the closure this year of Cork’s Central Library, something which had never before occurred in 130 years, outside of the Covid-19 pandemic and the torching of Cork’s Carnegie Library by the Black and Tans in 1920.