Tens of thousands of people attended a National Demonstration for Palestine in Dublin this afternoon.
First gathering at the Garden of Remembrance at 1pm, protestors marched towards the Department of Foreign Affairs near St Stephen’s Green Park, calling for an end to Israel's war on Gaza.
Among the groups represented are Gaza Action Ireland, Academics for Palestine, and Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
SIPTU, Forsa, Irish Artists for Palestine and student unions across Ireland also took part in the march.
This is the fourth National Demonstration like this since October and took over an hour to pass O'Connell Street.
The National Demonstration for #Palestine has arrived at the Dept of Foreign Affairs - Join Us to hear our great speakers and performers. #Gaza #EndGazaGenocide #ceasefirenow pic.twitter.com/TL1Ff2S4cv
— IPSC (@ipsc48) February 17, 2024
Protestors are calling for Israel to face consequences for the killing of civilians in Palestine.
There was a significant Garda presence as demonstrators march to the Department of Foreign Affairs on Harcourt Street.
IPSC member and Palestinian refugee Fadl Mustapha said Irish people must stop “sitting on the fence” on Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
“I am actually personally fed up with people sitting on the fence because there is no sitting on the fence anymore,” he said.
“You’re either showing solidarity with the Palestinian people to stop this genocide and slaughter or if you’re not, in my opinion, you’re racist.”
ISPC vice-Chair Zoe Lawlor told the crowds protestors “come here together as we have for five months all over the country in pain in anger in grief and in rejection of the atrocities that is against the Palestinian people”.
“We are here to say no to genocide, no to ethnic cleansing no to forced starvation... no to Israeli apartheid,” she said.
Other demonstrations for Palestine took place in Ennis, Cork, Armagh, Drogheda, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Youghal, Carrick-on-Shannon and Waterford.
Protests also took place internationally, with a demonstration in London expected to see up to 250,000 people attending.
