That extremists on the other side of the Atlantic have always had an eye on Ireland is nothing remotely new to those who have been paying attention.
The anti-abortion lobby in Ireland has found great support from various groups in the US over the years for example.
But with the proliferation of the Internet and social media, the focus of these extremists and their attempts to influence Irish politics and society has become increasingly obvious.
Traitorous government
On X, formerly known as Twitter, any post regarding the government or immigration will be met with comments calling for the deportation of all migrants and for the supposedly traitorous government to be overthrown.
It isn’t just a feeling that these comments come from accounts based outside of Ireland. It’s been proven.
In the aftermath of an anti-migrant riot in Newtown-mountkennedy last year, a Sky News investigation found that 56.1% of all posts mentioning the town – 113,720 in total – originated in the US. A further 6,175 came from Canada.
Assorted extremists
The pattern has continued into 2025. The recent presidential election in Ireland was no different. And neither were the recent riots outside a hotel in Citywest, Dublin which houses asylum seekers.
There, assorted extremists gathered to protest after a man living in the hotel allegedly assaulted a 10-year-old girl.
This was the context into which Canadian provocateur Ezra Levant leapt in the hours after the news of the assault was spread across the Internet. Levant is a close associate and confidant of Tommy Robinson, who makes a lucrative living from his YouTube channel, Rebel News.
Arriving in Ireland the day after the story broke and the morning after an initial protest outside the hotel, Levant wasted no time stirring up tensions even further, something he’s well experienced at in Ireland.
Broadcasting from outside Dublin airport, the Rebel News leader claimed that the mainstream press was covering up the attack. Of course this was false, with all of the main newspapers in Ireland reporting on the attack in some manner.
He also refused to refer to the Citywest asylum centre as an IPAS Centre, the official term in Ireland for International Protection Accommodation Services buildings for asylum seekers.
Anti-immigration platform
Instead, he described it as “an urban refugee camp” as terms like IPAS, he claimed, are “designed to obscure”. He also bemoaned Connor McGregor being locked out of entering the Irish presidential election due to “groupthink” on the part of all Irish political parties.
According to Levant, “all of them support mass open immigration” which was at odds with McGregor’s vociferous anti-immigration platform.
During the day Levant reported from outside the hotel, describing it as a “sprawling complex” and reiterated that it’s a “refugee camp” occupied by “single, military-aged Muslim men”. There is no evidence of this and he even admitted that this claim is only based on a “credible estimate”.
He went on to complain that when he was in Dublin the previous year he did not notice any Irish people whilst walking in the city centre. His insinuations in all of this are clear: replacement of white Irish with Muslim migrants.
Far-right ambulance chaser
This is his tactic and it works well for him; he’s built a career from it. He regularly flies in from Canada to the latest anti-migrant hotspot, either in the UK, Ireland, France or elsewhere in Europe, the far-right equivalent of an ambulance chaser.
His targets though are asylum seekers and the promotion of those who hate them.
As with some other figures on the far right, Levant does not meet the criteria for inclusion laid down by other extremists given his Jewish background.
Later in the evening when he went to report from the rally that later descended into a riot in Citywest, Levant was allegedly punched by someone in the crowd. It’s not known who attacked him but Levant’s presence has caused some consternation amongst the more antisemitic of the Irish far-right ecosphere.
‘Don’t talk to Jews’
This was also apparent months earlier in Dublin in April during an anti-immigration rally there. Levant attempted to interview Justin Barrett, former leader of the neo-nazi National Party and, following a minor internal coup, current leader of splinter party Clann Éireann.
Barrett, an avowed National Socialist wasn’t interested in Levant and his soundbites, saying “I don’t talk to Jews”.
When Levant pushed back, saying that many of his viewers are Christian, Barrett wasn’t moved. Not only did he reiterate his point – “No. I’m not talking to Jews” – he went further, declaring “There’s nothing wrong with National Socialism” and that “National Socialism knew how to deal with people like you”.
Levant continues to be a useful idiot for those who would gladly gas him given half the chance. His well-established platform has been a go-to for many on the right for close to a decade and that doesn’t show any sign of faltering.
He plays his part and does it well, offering succour to the likes of Tommy Robinson and, closer to home, the likes of far-right dog-kicker Philip Dwyer.
So, while he may eventually become a victim of his own extremism, for now he’s happy to point that extremism in the direction of innocent migrants.
