Watch: Loyalists protest in central Dublin against Leo Varadkar becoming taoiseach
A group of loyalists have gathered in front of Leinster House – the seat of the Republic’s parliament in Dublin – to protest against Leo Varadkar once again becoming taoiseach.
The Fine Gael leader is replacing Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin at the head of government, under the terms of a coalition deal struck in 2020.
The protest against him involved several individuals taking part in a mock funeral for the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement.
It was organised by Let’s Talk Loyalism, the anti-protocol group fronted by east Belfast activist Moore Holmes.
In an accompanying statement, the group said: “The Irish Government helped create the Northern Ireland Protocol as a punishment beating for the United Kingdom daring to leave the European Union.
"They must take responsibility for the death of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
"The Irish Government exploited our peace process and used it as leverage to achieve their own selfish political objectives.
"They pretended to protect the interests of Northern Ireland as a whole, meanwhile agitating exclusively for Nationalists and ignoring the legitimate concerns of Northern Ireland Unionists.”
The group, along with many other unionists, have charged Mr Varadkar with stoking the prospect of violence during Brexit negotiations by speaking about the likelihood of land border infrastructure coming under attack by republicans.
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