Y'day I watched in horror as this motley crew were herded through Dublin city centre. Their shepherds, a malevolent gang of fascists and conspiracy theorists. They screamed & boo-ed at me as I stood outside Trinity College, the university I graduated from as a medical doctor.
I returned from working abroad at the start of Covid-19 lockdown. I felt I was answering the call of home. I could help and I dropped everything to come back and support our already strained HSE.
I felt some sense of pride returning to the country I love, my home, to do my bit and join in the national effort against Covid-19. I have cared for Covid-19 patients. I have watched and rejoiced as they recovered. I have also grieved when they died, surrounded by strangers.
Y'day was my first day off in 12 days. A 28 hour shift in the middle of that. 100's of these antimask protesters jeered at me, insulted my appearance, called me a sheep, three members approaching me aggressively- one shouldering me . A chorus of 100 voices "TAKE OFF YOUR MASK".
Like @IzzyKamikaze, who was criminally assaulted yesterday standing up against fascism, I felt moved to stand my ground.