The anti-migrant movement across the island of Ireland has entered a new, more organized phase. What began as scattered, localised protests in late 2022 have evolved into an increasingly structured and internationally connected movement. In 2025, this mobilisation is characterised by street protests and coordinated amplification online.
Riots in 2024 in Coolock (in Dublin) and recent protests in Ballymena (Northern Ireland), Limerick (Republic of Ireland) and other locations show evidence of an emerging cross-border infrastructure for anti-migrant mobilization. Simultaneously, actors from beyond Ireland – including the British far-right and Russian-aligned propaganda outlets – have begun actively promoting these incidents as part of broader transnational anti-migrant narratives.
Taken together, these dynamics signal a shift from spontaneous protest to more deliberate and coordinated mobilization. The growing convergence between local actors and international amplifiers is accelerating the spread of shared narratives and tactics across borders, helping to develop a more resilient and disruptive movement.
Cross-border coordination between ethnonationalist groups in Ireland and Northern Irish Loyalist communities is a notable development given the region’s long-standing political and ideological divisions. Traditionally, nationalist and loyalist constituencies have operated in ideological opposition with distinct identities, objectives and historical narratives.
Emerging collaboration between actors on either side of the border marks a significant shift in the political landscape suggesting that shared perceived grievances can override older sectarian fault lines.
One of the first directly observed signs of cross-border coordination between groups in Ireland and Northern Ireland occurred in August 2024: representatives from Coolock Says No, a grassroots anti-immigration protest group, travelled to Belfast to participate in anti-migrant protests in the wake of the 29 July Southport stabbing attack.
This overlap between Republic-based nationalist activists and Northern Irish Loyalist networks laid the groundwork for further collaboration seen during the Ballymena and Limerick mobilisation in June 2025. Images from the actions of protesters marching together with Ulster flags (associated with Northern Irish Loyalists) and the Republic of Ireland’s tricolour demonstrate how historical ideological adversaries are increasingly united by shared viewpoints.
While these episodes demonstrate how groups from both sides of the border are working together in a tactical and symbolic way, the ideological dimensions of these alliances extend further afield. Some Loyalist figures involved in these protests have established ties to UK far-right and neo-Nazi networks: Glen Kane, a former Loyalist paramilitary convicted of manslaughter for a sectarian killing in 1993 was present at an anti-migrant protest in Belfast 2024 alongside members of Coolock Says No who had travelled from Dublin to participate.
In 2024, Kane was charged under public order legislation for possessing publications intended to incite nationalism. Amongst this ephemera were British National Party (BNP) materials and merchandise related to Britain First.
Furthermore, UK extremist groups like the British National Socialist Movement (BNSM) publicly advertise anti-migrant protests in Northern Ireland and push anti-migrant narratives that resonate with Loyalist messaging, with both groups frequently framing immigration as a threat to women and children. These connections reflect a deeper alignment between Loyalist organizations and British extremist actors, further blurring the lines between local protest and transnational far-right activism.