Occupy Dame Street protestors say they will not move for St Patrick’s Day parade

According to a report in today's Sunday Independent, the protestors behind the 'Occupy Dame Street' movement have said they will not move for the St Patrick's Day parade.

Both Garda Supt Joseph Gannon and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar have been vocal in their opposition to the camp being set up during the St Patrick's Festival. It is thought that their concerns centre on worries that the camp on the Central Bank Plaza will become the main thrust of international news stories relating to the festival and could therefore affect Irish tourism.

"With our tourism industry showing some signs of recovery, this will be the most important St Patrick's Festival for many years," Minister Varadkar told the broadsheet.

"That's why I am asking the Occupy Dame Street camp to relocate for the weekend in order to facilitate the St Patrick's Day celebrations. Obviously the Occupy movement feels very strongly about its politics, but I don't believe the camp is opposed to the St Patrick's Day festival.

"I really hope they will agree to move the camp for a few days in order to facilitate the parade and festival events. Camps in some other cities have agreed to move, and the one in Dublin is now the longest continuous camp in the same place."

The aforementioned Garda Supt Joseph Gannon sent a letter to the camp - which has been at the Dame Street since October of last year - but has been told by the protestors that they have no intention of moving.

Do you agree with the protestors' stance or feel that they are endangering some of the public's goodwill with their stance? Let us know in the comments section below.