“There’s real anger across the whole island of Ireland about rising prices, not only with fuel but the cost of living and the cost of a bag of messages out of the supermarkets,” said Michael McLaughlin, one of the protest organisers.
“All other sectors of the economy – manufacturing, construction, hospitality, healthcare, distribution, you name it, all the workers throughout the pandemic kept the lights on.
“All the people who went out, day after day, working to keep the country going – they’re the workers who are getting hammered left right and centre every time they go out the front door, go to a fuel pump, go down to the supermarket for a bag of groceries and messages – something has to give.”
He said those who had gathered in Strabane had done so to “articulate that anger in the best way we can” and to send a clear message to the “political class that enough is enough”.
“We can’t go on like this and we hope that they are listening to our message,” he added.