Dublin flash-mob in Parliament on Saturday 14 December

A number of protest groups, NGOs and refugee support organisations are taking their cues from recent events in Italy and are planning a Dubin flash mob in front of Parliament building this Saturday.

Following the unstoppable wave of Bologna’s flash mob, where more than 6000 sardines showed up to fight against the far-right Lega party ideas, the community of Italians in Dublin decided to take over the capital of the Emerald Isle and take this to the streets on the 14th of December.

Organising a flash-mobs warms any Italians’ heart, and living in Dublin, far away from home, it is a splendid multicultural occasion to involve people, no matter their religions or backgrounds. The Sardines, renamed after the idea of being all squeezed tight like sardines in a box, are going to take over the space in front of the Irish Parliament to say, “No we don’t want this. We are against this crazy hatred politics,” as one of their organisers said. 

With this controversial feeling filling up our minds, the Italian community in Dublin, always increasing, has decided to make itself heard. A survey carried out by the BBC established the rising amount of “nationalist” movements all over Europe. Because of the completely confusing political situation in Europe, and all over the world, where parties from far-right use social crises to drive a flux of ideas on exclusion, discrimination and racism, people feel the need to stand out for the human rights.

The idea of a flash-mob was generated by the original which occurred in Bologna during a public speech from the leader of the Lega, a far-right Italian party. The main square in Bologna was suddenly stuffed with more than twelve thousand people standing still, protesting quietly against the political views of this party. And, it’s a well-known fact that the further from home you are, the more you want to get closer, so what better way to do it as an Italian in Dublin.

Like Veronica, one of the organisers, said, “Seeing all these people, gathered in one square starting from Bologna and then spread around Italy like wildfire, only moved by a common objective, one unique thought for say, made me straight away wanting to do it here, from Dublin too.”

Matteo Salvini, the political leader of the far-right party, Lega Nazionale, with all the other similar parties “rides that wave of hate, discrimination, inciting hatred,” according to Veronica. The main aim of this party is using social crises occurring in Italy, like the housing, job, security and health care crisis to get political consensus in Parliament.

Because of the reported spread of these politics, all the “sardines” of Europe are coordinating to take the roads of every single city in Europe, screaming out loud what they are fighting for.  Counting more than 20 cities around Europe. Dublin will be one of them, also where they will also be supported by the locally organised Rally For Peace. And in order to preserve this multiculturalism and fight for equality, the flash-mob will take place together with the Rally for Peace on Earth organised by SARF(Solidarity Alliance against Racism and Fascism). Together with United Against Racism and a great number of NGOs and refugee support organisations.

They will be there to stand up for an Ireland where everyone feels safe and welcome, an Ireland where giving credit to those who seek to divide this country is unproductive and to stay focused on what matters most: integration.

As the organisers explained, “We got in contact with the promoters of the Rally For Peace, as we thought it would have more sense organising only one big demonstration with the same guiding principle.” 

Therefore the #6000sardines will be there, representing the Italian community especially, but mostly as part of a greater multicultural community in Ireland, claiming their anti-fascist and anti-racial ideas. Participating in this demonstration will also be “a way to unite and raise awareness about what’s going on in Italy from a political point of view.”

The main focus is to campaign against racism, and all forms of oppression and discrimination including sexism, anti-trans discrimination, homophobia, discrimination against the disabled, people with mental health difficulties and religious minorities.

#6000sardinedublin is organizing this flash-mob during Global Sardine Day. On Saturday the 14 December,  a flash mob will be held simultaneously in 25 cities including Rome, Berlin, Paris, Dublin, London, San Francisco, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Madrid, Helsinki. On this day the organizers hope to gather over 100,000 people in Rome and many others in other cities across the world. 

Organisers really want to underline how this is not a political movement or political propaganda for any other party. That’s why instead of flags and other national icons, the Sardines use graphic representations of their fish, in any colour and shape. 

Therefore, whether you are black, white, traveller, settled, brown, LGBTQI+, Asian, straight, Muslim, Christian, Disabled, able-bodied, Jewish, atheist or humanist, you’ll be more than welcome to make your voice heard

So if you feel sympathetic or want to support them on Saturday, get out your arts and crafts to start drawing your Sardina. Be punctual, it will start at 3 pm sharp. You won’t miss them, they will be those singing Bella Ciao at the top of their lungs!