Coveney: Not acceptable that Lord Mayor was 'effectively harassed' last weekend
Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney was speaking at a press conference held during a visit by Justice Minister Helen McEntee to Cork Chamber.
A SENIOR Government minister from Cork has said that it is not acceptable that the Lord Mayor of Cork was “effectively harassed” last weekend.
Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney was speaking at a press conference held during a visit by Justice Minister Helen McEntee to Cork Chamber, and he referred to an incident which occurred last Saturday when the Lord Mayor, Councillor Kieran McCarthy was confronted by a far right protester.
Cllr McCarthy had been visiting the North Main Street Carnival when he was challenged by Ross Lahive, who has played a leading role in protests against the availability of LGBTQ+ reading material in public libraries.
In recent months, those protests twice led to the closure of Cork Central Library, something which had never before occurred in 130 years, apart from during the Covid-19 pandemic and the time in 1920 when the Black and Tans torched Cork’s Carnegie Library.
In August, Cllr McCarthy had said he planned to meet with senior gardaí to discuss what he called the “horrific harassment” of library staff.
Last weekend, when confronted by Mr Lahive, Mr McCarthy responded by singing Rodgers and Hammerstein show tunes, which Mr Lahive filmed on his phone.
In a video which was subsequently posted on social media, as Mr McCarthy attempted to walk away, a scuffle appeared to occur, and the phone seemed to be dropped on the ground.
Mr Lahive subsequently claimed that his phone was thrown in the air and alleged that it struck a bystander on the head.
Mr Lahive posted further footage showing him following the Lord Mayor into St Peter’s cultural centre before being asked to leave.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said gardaí were investigating the incident.
Speaking in Cork during the week, Mr Coveney said the office of lord mayor was a role which was very important to the people of Cork.
“Last weekend we saw our our first citizen get harassed, which for me is totally unacceptable. When the Lord Mayor of Cork is being harassed, the people are being harassed, because he represents all of us,” Mr Coveney said.
“I think that was a really unfortunate incident, and just like with library staff it’s not acceptable that people who are involved in public service should be targeted or harassed because they’re simply doing their job.
“That obviously means a conversation between Cork City Council, An Garda Síochána and Government to see what more we can do to make sure that they feel protected and safe in the workplace,” he added.
"He's someone who understands Cork history and he’s doing a fantastic job as a new lord mayor, and for him to be effectively harassed in the way that he was last weekend is something that I think we should all speak out against.”
Earlier, Justice Minister Helen McEntee had said that while everyone had a right to peaceful protest, where it crossed in to intimidation or harassment, it was then criminal behaviour.
“It is important that the gardaí are able to police and to respond to these matters in the way that they see fit, and I absolutely trust that the gardaí do and will respond in the way that they find appropriate in the situation,” Ms McEntee said.
Asked by whether it was acceptable that a planned far right “Ireland Says No” rally on Saturday (today) might again cause the Central Library to be closed, Ms McEntee said it was not.
“Without knowing what will happen this Saturday, obviously, I fully expect that the gardaí are fully aware and will respond appropriately on the day,” she said.
When asked by whether the Cork Central Library would be closed on Saturday, a spokesperson for Cork City Council said: “Cork City Libraries won’t be commenting on this”.
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