Summary

Anarchy in Coolock Word on the Week 3rd August 2024.
There has been unrest for some time in areas in Ireland earmarked for housing refugees. The normal housing market is unable to cope with the influx of immigrants into Ireland caused by war and poverty in other countries.
Disused factories and other large empty buildings are being converted into temporary housing. Unfortunately, they appear to be found largely in the less well of areas off Dublin, not unnaturally creating protests from those living there.
Unfortunately, this situation is to be found in many parts of Europe. This has provided fertile ground for professional anarchists from the UK and the USA to exploit. They do this by creating ‘fake news’ in the media. This is broadcast via the usual platforms multiplying the discontent in those who receive the messages.
We are told that American extremists linked to a notorious Neo-Nazi group have been creating propaganda material for Irish far-right activists aimed at increasing support for anti-immigration protests.
The fires in the disused Coolock’s Crown Paint factory, which is earmarked for refugees, were extinguished by the Fire Brigade. The Garda now have a presence in the area. It is rumoured that drones equipped with petrol bottles were being used. On Thursday of this week black smoke was seen pouring from the nearby Camfil Building in the Port Tunnel Industrial Estate. It required six fire engines to bring the blaze under control.
It is reported since 15th July a collection of 26 accounts on the platform X (previously Twitter) reporting incessantly about Coolock using robots. To date they have commented 840 times! The posts are the usual ‘Ireland for the Irish’ variety.
Perhaps it should not surprise us that fake news (otherwise known as lies) are being used to inflame grievances and propagate conspiracy theories. They go back a long time. Take the time Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The Clergy of the day feared for their jobs. They were fast becoming redundant. If they allowed this to happen the Roman army of occupation would come and take away both “our place and our Nation” (John 11 verse 43 to 48).
In the desire to save his own skin Caiaphas the High Priest spoke wiser words than he knew when he said “It is better that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” and not for the Nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11 verses 50 to 52). He inadvertently ushered in Christ’s atonement. The poet P. Bliss has put it like this :-
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
In today’s anarchy it is no different. The human heart is still in rebellion against its Maker and in frustration takes it out against His image in other human beings, in our case usually the Gardaí. We need to pray for these anarchists to come to Christ.