Protestors bring Dublin city to standstill & chant ‘we don’t want you here’ to Trump as US President lands in Shannon

THOUSANDS of people gathered in Dublin and chanted “we don’t want you here” at Donald Trump amid his visit this weekend.

At least 30 groups and political parties are taking part in the passionate procession from the city’s garden remembrance to the Dail, where a rally will be held.

President Trump has left Dublin for Co Clare after a morning of meetings and events in the capital.

He flew to Shannon Airport before taking a helicopter to his Trump Doonbeg Hotel in Co Clare to attend the Irish Open golf tournament.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Dublin despite Trump’s departure to protest his visit to Ireland.

Demonstrators carrying placards and banners marched from the Garden of Remembrance along O’Connell Street.

There were loud drums and chants being sung as the crowd blocked off traffic part of Dublin city centre this afternoon.

Organisers on the ground claimed the number in attendance ran into the tens of thousands and it took more than half an hour for the entirety of the march to leave the starting point.

Participants carried banners and flags, and chanted: “Donald Trump, can you hear? We don’t want you here.”

Several opposition political parties, including Sinn Fein and the Greens, participated in the protest.

Sinn Fein’s Donnchadh O Laoghaire was among the speakers at the protest.

Speaking before the rally, O Laoghaire noted that today’s protest is an opportunity to “demonstrate the fact that the Irish people clearly reject the policies and the agenda of this US administration.”

He added: “Whatever opportunities we have, we take them, and also the Irish government – they have an obligation to articulate Irish foreign policy to President Trump.”

In a statement, a Sinn Fein spokesperson noted that “people are right to protest at every turn when international law is being violated.”

It added: “It is right and proper that there will be protests at this visit.

“People are right to protest at every turn when international law is being violated in such a brazen and sustained way.”

Social Democrats Foreign Affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson added: “There is no public appetite for this visit which is just a glorified golf trip for Mr Trump.”

Geoff Prior took part in the protest carrying a placard showing Trump dressed as a clown.

He said: “I am from Kerry, I spent five hours travelling to get here, that is how strongly I feel about it.

“Thank goodness it is a great turnout, but we could always do with more.”

Anne Conway, from Dublin, said the Irish Government should not be “rolling out the red carpet” for the president.

She added: “They should show they are supportive of international law.

“By allowing this visit to happen they are saying none of that matters.

“Our hope is that the US get out of the Middle East and stop causing trouble.”

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett was at the front of the protest leading chants of “The people’s voice is loud and clear, Donald Trump’s not welcome here” and “One, two, three, four, we don’t want your bloody war”.

The protest culminated with music and speeches at Molesworth Street.

Boyd Barrett told the crowd that Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris had “brought shame” on Ireland by inviting Mr Trump.

Similar protests are also taking place in Doonbeg ahead of the US President’s trip for the Irish Open.