An online vigil for the late Ashling Murphy was hijacked by a man on Sunday evening, who appeared to be masturbating as a discussion was taking place on gender-based violence.
Traveller activist Rose Marie Maughan was in the middle of a speech when the man appeared in the all-women vigil held on Zoom using the name and email of one of the other attendees, journalist Christine O'Mahony.
He was quickly removed from the call after his screen appeared to show a man masturbating.
The event was being held in memory of Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old teacher who was killed while out jogging at 4pm last Wednesday in Tullamore.
Over 80 people had logged on to the vigil and discussion, organised by activist Evie Nevin for anyone who had been unable to attend a vigil in person.
Ms Maughan fumed in the immediate aftermath: "I have never been so disgusted, angry in all my life as woman. A man actually thought it was ok to masturbate while women united in grief, anger, love for a murdered woman during an online vigil"
Ms O'Mahony tweeted: "We were holding an online vigil for Ashling and somebody decided to use my name to hop on the zoom call and masturbate in front of us I am absolutely done, how could anyone be so disgusting!"
While musician Emma Langford, another attendee, said: "We can't even have a vigil without some absolute sh*t hijacking with his frankly disappointing looking p*** on show. Beyond angry.
"To hack in, impersonate a panellist, and disrupt another as she speaks passionately about the barbaric theft of innocent lives... I'm so God damn tired, I'm so done listening to the stupid army of men shouting that THEY'RE not flashers and abusers and murderers.
"Well done on meeting the absolute base minimum for being a decent human. Now start calling your scumbag friends out, because this guy I imagine has friends, this guy has somehow been enabled and emboldened by others to do this. I'm sickened."
It is believed that gardai will be contacted in relation to the incident.
