Anti-trans teacher Enoch Burke’s family members scream about ‘transgenderism’ in courtroom
Enoch Burke’s family was forcibly removed from the courtroom. (Twitter/@rtenews)
Family members of teacher Enoch Burke have been dragged screaming from an appeals court.
Several clips of police officers forcibly removing at least four people from the Dublin District Court were shared across social media on Tuesday (7 March).
Evangelical Christian Burke gained notoriety after he was temporarily jailed for breaching a court injunction that forbade him from attending Wilson’s Hospital School in Multyfarnham, County Westmeath, Ireland.
The former teacher angrily confronted the school’s head teacher after being directed to use the correct pronouns of a transgender student. He was suspended as a result.
He ignored orders to stay away from the school, however, and was jailed for contempt of court.
Following a decision by the Court of Appeal this week to reject Burke’s challenge to the ruling against him, his sister, Ammi Burke, interrupted the court and began shouting about his constitutional rights.
After refusing orders to sit down by one of the judges, several other family members joined in, accusing the three judges of “bowing before the altar of transgenderism”.
They refused to be quiet after judges said the case was “an exercise in creating soundbites”.
She and other family members were then removed by police officers, while still screaming about “transgenderism”.
Enoch Burke, who taught history and German at the school, screamed at officers to “leave my father alone” and called gardaí “thugs” before being restrained along with his brother Isaac.
The scene was captured outside the courthouse as the family was dragged out one by one, with several continuing to shout.
“How dare you? How dare you? How dare you?” one of them yelled.
Ammi Burke told the officers they “should be ashamed”.
The legal challenge came amid the teacher’s second temporary arrest in January after he routinely returned to stand outside the school.
Burke was arrested for trespassing following attempts to enter the school, standing outside the gates until a member of staff let him in.
Shortly after being released by police officers, he returned to the school gates, claiming he was “wrongfully” detained.
He was reportedly dismissed following the completion of the school’s disciplinary hearing.
In a statement, the family claimed that the “purported dismissal” would not take effect for several months and, as a result, he believed he still had a right to attend the school.
He now faces daily fines of 700 euros (approximately £620) for breaching court orders.
