Mike Pence Urged To Cancel His Planned Ireland Trip, Some Irish Say He’s Not Welcome There
Vice President Mike Pence wants to visit Ireland, where his family has roots. However, as Yahoo News reports, Irish Twitter users have come out in droves to say he is not welcome there.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, Pence laid out the basic plans for an upcoming European trip he has scheduled with Second Lady Karen Pence. In early September, he tweeted that they would visit Iceland and England and then conclude by visiting Ireland. Specifically, after the customary meetings with politicians, he wanted to celebrate his “Irish roots.”
The Irish roots Pence was referring to are those of his grandfather Richard Michael Cawley, who immigrated to the U.S. via Ellis Island in 1923.
However, many Twitter users were commenting on his tweets, asking him to stay away from the country, saying he wouldn’t be welcome there. One user, for example, tweeted, “Don’t let Pence in.” Another tweeted, “You’re not welcome.”
Other users pointed out their reasons for not wanting Pence to come to Ireland. Several, for example, mentioned the Trump administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their parents, which has led to widely condemned scenes of children being kept in places that resemble a prison.
Celebrate & respect your Irish migrant roots by ending the cruelty & racism of your regime. pic.twitter.com/NiblhVFs3S
— Ruairí McKiernan (@ruairimckiernan) August 15, 2019
Another user referenced the immigration crisis as well as Pence’s supposed homophobia.
“Sadly for you, a large number of us here in Ireland are mortified that a right wing, homophobic supporter of keeping children in cages like you has Irish roots. You certainly won’t be celebrated,” the user tweeted.
Another tweeted that anyone associated with the Trump administration is not welcome in Ireland. “Trumps cronies are not welcome in Ireland,” they wrote.
In fact, Donald Trump has visited Ireland since he became POTUS, and in some corners of the country, he wasn’t welcome either. Trump last visited Ireland in early June, and as Irish Central reported at the time, there were protests planned across the country.
Pence, for his part, is oft met with protests wherever he goes. For example, as HuffPost reported at the time, Pence gave the commencement address at Taylor University in May of this year. However, minutes before Pence spoke, dozens of students stood up and walked out in protest.
Similarly, in April, as The Houston Chronicle reported at the time, Pence visited Rice University. Over 100 students protested Pence’s visit, some holding signs that accused him of being bigoted. Some even chanted that Pence “has got to go.”
