The use of Soviet symbolism by the Workers’ Party TCD has resulted in concerns expressed by the Eastern European and Ukrainian Societies in a statement today. This is the third year in a row where the Workers’ Party TCD has used the symbol at the fair and has subsequently been condemned.
In the statement which was very similar to the one they put out last year albeit slightly shorter, the societies stated that their opposition to the symbolism being used “is based on the very real, painful impact that this symbol and the regimes that it represented had on the lives of [Eastern Europeans’] families.” They added that while they respect the right of societies to freedom of expression “under any symbols they wish” they wish to point out that “Communist ideology can be represented by other symbols not tied to the Soviet Union.”
Across Eastern Europe, pro-Russian groups deploy Soviet flags and red stars, and wear Soviet uniforms at rallies, near war memorials, and on anniversaries of sensitive historical events. This is done to signal loyalty to Moscow and in an effort to antagonise those who view the symbols as markers of occupation. Russia often leans on Soviet “liberator” imagery to frame the war in Ukraine as a fight against Naziism. Several countries in Eastern Europe have laws restricting or banning these symbols in public.
In a statement to the University Times, Workers’ Party TCD had the following to say:
This article was updated on September 25th to include comment from the Workers’ Party TCD.
