Because
“we don't like your words”
shouldn't trigger a Gardaí raid.
From colourful banter at the local pub to the creation of some of the most cherished literary masterpieces, Ireland is a nation shaped by the power of words and the freedom to wield them.
Our ability to speak our minds, to create, to debate, to love, and even offend is at the very core of what it means to be Irish. Now, it’s under attack by our own government. Enter the Irish Free Speech Coalition. We are journalists, artists, and advocates from across the political spectrum fiercely dedicated to the fundamental right to free speech.
The government's proposed “Incitement to Hatred and Hate Crime Bill" is alarmingly broad and poorly defined. It gives unprecedented powers to authorities to seize cell phones and laptops from entire households, eroding the sanctity of our privacy. While we condemn any form of incitement to violence, the current form of the bill oversteps this boundary. It is freedom of speech that allows us to explore and spread ideas that might one day change society for the better.
We stand on the shoulders of literary giants like Oscar Wilde and James Joyce, who used their voices—often in language that would be called “hateful” today—not just to tell stories, but to question, challenge, and explore the human condition. Our freedoms are being directly challenged by those who should be safeguarding them.
Stand with us. Help us resist this encroachment on our civil liberties. Let the Ireland we pass on to our children be one where freedom of speech is cherished, not penalised.
Irish Free Speech Event
SAturday, September 16, 2023, 1:00 PM
SOLD OUT! Thank you.
Royal Dublin Society
Ballsbridge, Dublin
RDS Concert Hall, Merrion Rd, Dublin, D04 AK83, Ireland
Free Speech Comes to the Stage! Join us as we launch the Irish Free Speech Coalition with free speech advocates from Ireland and across the globe. Guests include journalist Michael Shellenberger, radio host and podcaster Niall Boylan, Senator Sharon Keogan, Gript reporters Ben Scallan and John McGuirk, journalist Helen Joyce, artist and activist Kevin Sharkey, among a host of free speech advocates. THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. Thank you for your support.
Open Letter to the Irish Government
Ireland’s Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 is the canary in the coal mine for freedom of speech.
All around the Western world, countries are proposing censorial legislation under the guise of preventing harm and promoting safety, but Ireland’s new “hate speech” Bill is arguably the most draconian law yet. The Bill aims to criminalise the possession of hateful material, with the burden of proof placed upon the accused to prove they had no intent to publish or distribute it. The bill’s vague definition of “hate,” opens the door for legitimate political speech and expression to be targeted.
We are shocked and outraged to learn that, if passed, the law will allow the gardaí to enter an individual’s home, seize their devices, seize their family members’ devices, and demand access to their passwords - all because the individual is suspected to have the intent to share words or ideas online.
Under the “hate speech” law, Irish citizens can be arrested simply for having private writings, screenshots, or memes on their phone or computer. A person found to be in possession of “hateful” material will be presumed guilty of intent to distribute it and will face up to five years in prison. This presumption of guilt reverses a centuries-old legal convention.
The claim that Ireland has a significant ‘hate’ problem has no basis in reality. What’s more, contrary to what politicians may claim, the “hate speech” Bill is anti-democratic and out of line with popular sentiment. When the Irish government solicited public input on the Bill, 73% of responses were against it. Legislators have decided to proceed anyway.
We fear that Ireland’s “hate speech” law will not only have a profound chilling effect on speech in Ireland but be a harbinger of the kind of censorship the rest of the world may soon face. What’s more, the Bill will have international impact, as Ireland is the hosting spot for data for most of the European Union. Although Ireland is a small nation of only 6 million people, it has enormous symbolic and historical importance. Irish freedom of speech and expression has impacted the entire globe. That is why it is all the more disturbing that Ireland has become a guinea pig for totalitarian censorship measures.
There is still time to defeat the “hate speech” Bill. On September 20th, the Irish Seanad (Senate) will reconvene.
We write as journalists, authors, academics, and artists to condemn the Bill. We call for the Seanad to amend the legislation to remove all sections pertaining to speech and expression. If the Seanad fails to amend the legislation, we call for a democratic referendum on this issue.
Freedom of speech is a human right fundamental to the functioning of any true democracy, all attempts to take this right away must be emphatically rejected.
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We Need you!
The free speech movement in Ireland at its core is a people’s movement, and that means you! To dismantle censorship here in Ireland we need a movement that begins at home and extends around the globe. We are looking for allies who are active or want to become active on free speech issues. From resisting book bans to opposing the laws the limit free speech, we need supporters from across the political spectrum.