Editorial: Chaotic 'influencer' boxing event not a great look for Kilkenny
From this week’s Kilkenny People
A social media ‘influencer’ boxing event in Kilkenny spiralled out of control at the weekend, ending with two people arrested and one in hospital.
The proceedings were livestreamed to 1.8 million viewers, and the resulting chaotic scenes made national and international headlines. Normally, when Kilkenny’s name is trending, it is for all the right reasons.
Internet personalities and ‘manosphere’ influencers HS Tikky-Tokky and Ed Matthews, with their Unhinged 003 promotion company, made no secret of their intention to come to Kilkenny and cause a stir in the days leading up to the event. A violent press conference on the Friday evening was a portent of things to come. How far they intended it to go is another question, although HS Tikky-Tokky has apparently ultimately hailed the event a success.
The presence of far right activist and provocateur Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon) was slightly unsettling. Robinson, 43, is on bail after being found guilty in October of harassing two journalists to the point it caused them fear of violence. How or why he felt his presence was required in Kilkenny is mystifying.
It seems he was an invited guest, ringside, and became part of proceedings as a result of a scripted ‘work’ involving one of the boxers who jumped out of the ring to confront him. This scripted element was apparently lost on some of the amped-up audience, for whom it was fuel to the fire. Cue chairs being thrown, punches being swung, all round chaos. Follow-up antics from some of the organisers did little to quell the tumult.
The sight of hundreds of young people, most of them young men, queuing outside in their hundreds - in some cases for hours on end - suggests this type of event has and will continue to have an appeal for many. If these events are to be facilitated, they should at least proceed safely and peacefully, and without the threat of brawls breaking out, regardless of who instigates them.
Gardaí have been forthright in the past when it comes to how they intend to manage certain events, especially those that may require particular security detail. The outcome of their investigation will be interesting, as will indeed discussions when this matter is no doubt raised at the next meetings of Kilkenny City Municipal District and the Local Community Safety Partnership.
The shambles coincided with Kilkenny putting its best foot forward with other more civilised events. These included Kilkenomics, which has become a fantastic addition to Kilkenny’s festival calendar, attracting high-profile panellists and sold-out audiences. There was also a ‘Live, Work, Invest’ event organised by Kilkenny County Council with support of local businesses, showcasing the city and county to workers and people interested in moving here.
Perhaps we should also have a conversation about the type of events we want to host in Kilkenny. There were many great events taking place in the city and county last weekend. Unfortunately, the one that made the most headlines far and wide was the one we probably could have done without.