A national protest is being held at Shannon Airport today to oppose the use of the facility by the US Airforce. 

From 2pm, groups including Shannonwatch, the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) and Ireland Palestine Solidarity campaign will gather at the airport. 

Demonstrators are opposing the alleged reports that Shannon Airport has been used to transfer weapons going to Israel. 

They are calling on the Government to ensure Irish airspace is “not used to transport weapons, tech or other logistical or tactical support to Apartheid Israel”. 

They are also calling the Government to pass the Arms Embargo Bill to prevent the export of “weapons of war” from the State to Israel. 

Protesters at the entrance to Shannon Airport, Co Clare, ahead of the arrival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris. Picture date: Saturday July 13, 2024.

IAWM spokesperson Jim Roche said the group has “long called for” Shannon Airport to stop facilitating the US military. 

“It both implicates Irish citizens in US imperialist wars and is a clear infringement of Ireland’s neutrality,” he said. 

“We are deeply concerned about the serious revelations recently about planes from the US to Israel going through Irish airspace and Shannon.” 

He said the IAWM want to tell the Irish Government that "collusion with Israel’s genocide in Palestine must stop”. 

“It is long past time to stop giving the US genocide enablers a free ride at Shannon Airport.”

Protest at Shannon Airport

IAWM member Kieran O’Sullivan also said the Government can stop planes flying over its country’s airspace. 

“This is a political decision, not a legal issue,” he said. 

“The IAWM is fundamentally opposed to Israeli planes, or planes destined for Israel that are facilitating a genocide, going through Irish airspace. The Irish Government can stop this immediately.” 

The Department of Transportation said it is investigating claims that flights carrying arms to Israel passed through Irish airspace, as first reported by The Ditch. 

At a protest in Cork yesterday, Editor Eoghan McNeill said planes need “diplomatic clearance” to come through Irish airspace – but these planes did not have clearance.