As groups attended a protest organised by Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin at the Spire in Dublin last Saturday evening, November 16, to commemorate Trans Day of Remembrance, proceedings were momentarily disrupted by a teen who barged into the crowd and hurled transphobic slurs at those gathered.

Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed globally on November 20 to draw attention to the continued violence and struggle endured by the transgender community.

In Dublin, Trans Day of Remembrance events is organised annually by trans activists.

Following disruption by a teen, Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin wrote in a Facebook statement, “We are not afraid.”

In video footage which has been shared on social media, the teen is seen holding a phone recording themselves. Speaking to GCN, the person who filmed the incident recalled events:

“We were standing in a circle, near the end of it. People were invited to speak if they wanted to say something. It was loud so I couldn’t hear too well, but there was a guy in the circle speaking about events he was hosting or something along those lines.

“I didn’t see the guy coming really. I just noticed at some point because he was talking loudly into his phone as he was recording and suddenly he was just in the circle yelling transphobic things.

At this point, the person attending the protest started recording what was happening.

“Most people in the circle just looked at him, and I think it just needed a minute to sink it what was happening.

Some of the protest attendees responded to the teen “that had him pause a bit only to come back with more anti-trans stuff.

“He had friends with him who did not join. They were just laughing the whole time. Now if that was amused or nervous laughter, I don’t know, but they took him away.

“It seemed like things are calming down, so I stopped recording there.”

Moments after the recording stopped, the teen came back and “took somebody’s flag and ran around and through the circle again.

“I couldn’t see much when he was on the other side of the circle, but somebody got the flag back from him. So he started cursing a bit more and so I just moved in front of some of the smaller people around me because I wanted to make sure, if something escalates (you never know), that they won’t be hurt or anything.

“Some taller guy was then trying to keep him away from people. Not in a physical way, just using his height to be a bit more intimidating, I guess. And that is when it seemed like the transphobic guy would snap, he looked like he was going to start a proper physical fight. So his friends pulled him away, still laughing but apologising.

“After we finished up, the organisers checked in on everybody, and everybody else also checked in with those around them. So that sense of community was really nice to feel that we supported each other in such a nice, caring way.”

It is hoped that sharing the details of this incident will not result in a “manhunt” but that it will demonstrate the need for education.

“For me, the answer is education and calling those out who mistreat others and behave in such unacceptable ways.”

A spokesperson for Trans and Intersex Pride told GCN:

“The transphobic incident that occurred at the Trans Day of Remembrance protest was an unfortunate blight on what was otherwise a successful coming together of our community to both mourn our dead and to fight for those still living.

“For us, the strength we had together as a group is a reflection of the safety and power we have when we come together as a community.

“Thankfully, no one was injured, and we apologise deeply for the upset caused. In the future, we will try to have better stewarding to try and prevent these kinds of incidents taking place. Our unity is our strength, and we remain determined to continue the fight for trans rights alongside the rest of our community.”