Far-right campaign against journalist

The far right has launched a vile trolling campaign against Irish Times journalist and trade unionist Kitty Holland. Holland’s ‘crime’ is that she told the truth. She exposed a far-right attack on a camp of homeless immigrants in Ashtown, West Dublin. A bunch of men with sticks and dogs attacked the group.

For the far-right, the ‘crime’ is also being a woman who speaks out. That makes these individuals particularly vicious.

Their campaign must cause concern. The far-right in other countries has a record of physically attacking journalists. That is to close down exposure of their activities. The far-right in Ireland has links with these elements. Clearly, it is learning the same methods.

Social media, Twitter in particular, is empowering the far-right. It is now a vehicle for the most appalling targeted abuse. Twitter enables the spread of far-right, racist and misogynist poison, and the harassment of those who oppose it. Women journalists are particular targets.

Photographer Dara Mac Dónaill has also been abused for exposing the same incident. This is also vicious, if not quite as vicious.

The most recent Northern Ireland Conference of the Irish Congress of Trades Unions has come out against the plague of misogynist abuse. This was on foot of a motion proposed by a Militant Left member.

Militant Left stands in solidarity with Kitty Holland. We believe the wider trade union movement must do so also. Far-right thugs must be stopped from shutting down those who report on their crimes.