Protestors in Connemara call for University of Galway to end ties with Israeli institution
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Pro-Palestine protestors have promised further action following a demonstration against University of Galway's ties to an Israeli institution in Connemara.
A crowd of 100 people gathered outside Ionad an Acadaimh in An Cheathrú Rua on Wednesday as key university stakeholders met for a scheduled meeting of Údarás na hOllscoile.
An initial meeting of the protestors took place at University of Galway's quadrangle at midday before the demonstrators boarded a bus to An Cheathrú Rua.
The protest was a follow-up to an initial demonstration in February against the university's ties with Israeli education institute Technion, which is participating in a €1.5million research project that is coordinated by the University of Galway.
A spokesperson for the protest said Technion is involved in the study and development of AI and weapons used in Gaza and the West Bank.
The demonstration was organised by the university's Palestine Solidarity Society and SIPTU – with both groups calling for University of Galway to sever all ties with Israeli institutions.
In a short statement released to the Irish Independent, the University of Galway confirmed that the research project involving Technion remains under review.
One of the protest's organisers and spokesperson for the Palestine Solidarity Society Emmet O'Reilly said that the protest is the culmination of 'two years' of unfulfilled promises.
'We have been doing this for two years and we've been speaking to them at different times, believing that they'll fulfil their promises and then seeing that they won't and having different protests through campus.
'But now ourselves and SIPTU are going to come together and organise more direct action because the talking, the meetings and the good faith are over – it clearly hasn't worked.'
Mr O'Reilly says there is a 'huge want' amongst the student population for Palestine protestors to take more action against the university.
'No more arbitrary marches, meetings or press conferences and more actual action to force the hand of the university. Bring them in by the heels to the desk to finalise the breakage of the Technion deal itself with no more strings attached.'
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