A warrant for the arrest of UCD professor and anti-lockdown campaigner Dolores Cahill has been issued in England, following a controversial rally she spoke at in central London.
Prof Cahill reportedly told the hundreds of people who had gathered in Trafalgar Square last September that vaccines could make people sick, and could give them multiple sclerosis and allergies. Such views have been discredited by scientists and medical experts.
More recently, the independent candidate for the Dublin Bay South by-election reportedly verbally abused gardaí and security staff after she was refused entry to the RDS count centre without a mask.
Court records show that Prof Cahill now faces a warrant for her arrest, which was issued at Westminster Magistrates Court last week.
The reason for the warrant was given as a ‘failure to answer bail’ and related to two charges connected to a rally held in Trafalgar Square on September 19, 2020, for a protest against virus restrictions and mass vaccinations.
The ‘Resist and Act for Freedom’ rally had led to the arrests of 32 people, while two police officers were injured in clashes with protesters.
Demonstrators ditched their masks and ignored social distancing as they shouted ‘we will win’ and waved flags, before police shut them down, saying the protesters were putting themselves and others at risk.
Court records state that Prof Cahill, 55, with an address given as Irish Freedom Party, Kandoy House, Fairview Strand, Dublin 3, Ireland, was charged with being involved in the holding of a gathering of more than 30 people in an outdoor public place during emergency period in England, on September 19, 2020 at Trafalgar Square.
It was alleged this was contrary to the coronavirus regulations in place at the time.
She was also charged with, on the same date and at the same location, participating in a gathering of more than six people in any place during the emergency period in England, contrary to the regulations.
The case had previously been listed for mention before the same court on July 20, but was adjourned as her personal details were said to have changed.
On June 15, the case was referred for a full hearing, and it was noted at that time that there had been no appearance by Prof Cahill.
Media reports at the time of the anti-vax rally stated that the UCD professor told the crowd the coronavirus vaccine will ‘make people sick’.
Prof Cahill told the crowd: ‘We want freedom, truth and love.
‘I know that vaccines make people sick, you should not trust the government, the doctors and the media, they are lying about the COVID-19 vaccine.’
UCD has previously disassociated itself from views on COVID-19 aired by Prof Cahill.
As of last month, Prof Cahill is no longer lecturing in UCD’s school of medicine but remained a staff member.
She had taught a first-year medicine class called Science, Medicine and Society. She has told reporters that she informed UCD in April of her intention to retire.
She was asked to resign as chair of the rightwing Irish Freedom Party in March over her unsubstantiated views.
In a letter to Prof Cahill, Irish Freedom Party founder Hermann Kelly told the academic her claims ‘draw the credibility of the party into disrepute and are unacceptable’.
We need more Dr. Cahills to speak their truth. Right or wrong,, her voice alerts the masses to think,
for a change.