Young pro-family activists in Ireland who were advocating for prayer have been physically attacked by supporters of transgender ideology. Volunteers from the Irish Society for Christian Civilization (ISFCC) were verbally abused, kicked, and attacked during peaceful rallies against the promotion of transgender ideology. The ISFCC distributed a leaflet titled “10 Reasons Why Transgenderism is the Family’s Worst Enemy,” which drew heated opposition from transgender supporters.
The ISFCC openly incorporates their religious beliefs into their street campaigns, beginning and ending each event with a prayer. Despite the increasingly secular nature of Ireland, the volunteers maintain a principled approach and refuse to insult others in debates, even when they themselves are being insulted.
Video footage from a Dublin street campaign captures the hostile response the volunteers faced. One man threw beer at them, others tore up and threw away the leaflets, and one individual physically attacked a volunteer and attempted to push him to the ground. When the Irish Police (Garda) appeared, they did not express any concern for the ISFCC’s leaflets.
During encounters with the attacker, he argued that their beliefs were ridiculous and constituted hate speech. He criticized religion, stating that the Bible allows for the preaching of “absolute hate speech.” This incident was not isolated, as the ISFCC faced further instances of harassment, such as having coffee thrown in their faces and being spat and cursed at during their campaigns.
These attacks on pro-family activists highlight the increasing opposition faced by those who hold traditional beliefs. The ISFCC and other pro-family volunteers have endured verbal abuse, physical attacks, and accusations of hate speech as they seek to publicly express their faith and promote their values in a changing society. These acts of hate are enabled by the police forces who do nothing to deter these aggressors. If a pro-family activist were to attack a transgender activist in the street, the same lack of interference would certainly not be shown.