logo
Department of Foreign Affairs HQ targeted again by protesters

Department of Foreign Affairs HQ targeted again by protesters

Irish Times26-05-2025

The Department of Foreign Affairs' headquarters in Dublin city centre has been daubed with red paint again.
The paint, believed to be thrown in the early hours of Monday morning, covered the facade of Iveagh House on St Stephen's Green. Workers were present later on Monday washing the paint off the building.
The department said it was aware of 'a security incident outside of Iveagh House early this morning'.
'An Garda Síochána was contacted and is actively following up on the matter,' a spokesman for the department said.
READ MORE
The incident comes after Gaza protest graffiti was daubed on Iveagh House last August. 'Gaza BDS now' – a reference to the international Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign led by supporters of the Palestinian cause against Israel – was painted in red on the building at the time.
In November 2023, red paint was thrown on Iveagh House during a pro-Palestine demonstration. The then tánaiste and minister for foreign affairs, Micheál Martin, strongly criticised the act at the time and highlighted the role Irish diplomats have played in the Middle Eastern crisis.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Murdered farmer Michael Gaine was not afraid to be ‘soft, loving and kind', funeral told
Murdered farmer Michael Gaine was not afraid to be ‘soft, loving and kind', funeral told

Irish Times

timean hour ago

  • Irish Times

Murdered farmer Michael Gaine was not afraid to be ‘soft, loving and kind', funeral told

The requiem mass of murdered farmer Michael 'Mike' Gaine has heard that he was 'a proud Kerryman, and an even prouder Kenmare man' who was incredibly generous and would 'chip in to help any time and any place'. Mourners at the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare, Co Kerry were told that Mr Gaine was not afraid to show his emotions and was 'soft and loving, caring and affectionate, kind and considerate'. His cousin Eoghan Clarke said he was honoured to speak at the funeral on behalf of Michael's wife Janice. He said that Mike did the work of three men on his farm while still managing to carve out multiple hours in the day in which he helped others. 'I recall on one occasion when Mike was convincing one of his friends to head out for dinner one evening with the friend – who shall remain nameless – complaining that he was too tired. Mike shut down that argument immediately by replying: 'Sure, we're all tired'. That was Michael – he loved life, he always made the most of it and he truly lived every single moment. READ MORE 'Whether you met him during lambing or while on a trip away to a car show or rally event, he always had the iconic twinkle in his eye ... the 'I'm delighted to see you', 'I'm in great form', 'let's go and enjoy ourselves' glint in his eye. 'Michael was generous. Incredibly generous. He had time for everyone and would chip in to help any time and any place.' Mr Clarke read out a quote from a friend which he said summed up Mr Gaine's generosity and thoughtfulness better than he felt he ever could. Addressing Mr Gaine, the friend said: 'I will always remember the way you offered help before I ever even asked for it.' Eoghan Clarke, cousin of murdered Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine, speaking at his funeral. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Mourners were also told of how Mr Gaine met his wife Janice on a fateful New Year's Eve. Mr Clarke said Janice had travelled from Jakarta to visit her parents in Kerry for Christmas when a young Mike, looking dapper in his dress suit, plucked up the courage to speak to her at the bar. 'Michael explained that he was heading to Australia soon and in the days before Google and smartphones, Michael explained to Janice that Garuda airlines – Indonesia's national airline – seemed to offer the best value. Janice, presumably intrigued by Michael's extensive knowledge of flight routes to and from Australia, agreed to Michael's invitation to dinner before she then returned to Indonesia in the new year. 'For the next few years, Michael kept Telecom Éireann in business, feeding coins into one of the payphones in Kenmare to speak to Janice in Indonesia and then Taiwan, where he came to visit her. The rest is history.' Mr Clarke said that Michael's interests were as varied as his friend network. They included rallying, farming, current affairs, holidays to exotic places, DoneDeal, and all music – even opera. He added that by virtue of his incredible character, Mike attracted a lot of good people into his life. 'My own friends describe their first time meeting Mike and have said that he instantly gelled with them, made them feel at ease and showed a genuine interest in them. Another beautiful quote I have seen from a friend of Michael's was 'I always left in a better mood after talking to or bumping into you.' We will all miss Michael terribly.' Mourners proceed through the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare following Michael Gaine's funeral. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA The mass was celebrated by Fr George Hayes, parish priest in Kenmare along with Fr Sean Murphy. Fr Hayes said that the shocking murder of Mr Gaine had brought 'something terrible' in to the peaceful existence of locals. 'We are discommoded and feel at a loss. Over these weeks, since Michael went missing, we have asked so many questions – and, in life, sometimes, there are no answers.' Fr Hayes said that the focus of the funeral mass was on recovering the dignity of a much loved family member, friend and neighbour. 'Today is a day for recovering the dignity of Michael Gaine. Today we recover Michael's dignity because, today, we speak Michael's name with love. And it is the dignity of Michael's life, and not the manner of Michael's death, that will abide in our hearts. Here in this place, today, we recover Michael's dignity. We speak Michael's name with love.' He asked mourners to enjoy life and to lift people's spirits in the manner in which Mike did. 'In that way, Michael and his characteristics will live on. Rest easy Michael. Until we meet again.' Offertory symbols included a photo of Mr Gaine on his quad on his farm with cavalier dog Teddy, a holiday photo, a photo of the globe representing his love for current affairs and travel, a wedding photo, a CD, a photo of St Michael the Archangel, a photo of Mike and his rally car and his rally helmet. Mourners following the funeral of murdered Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine at the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA His widow Janice Gaine led the family out of the church at the conclusion of the mass holding his urn in her arms. Poignantly, the urn was in a sheepskin-lined basket. The funeral of Mr Gaine took place 11 weeks after he went missing from his farm in Kenmare. His disappearance was initially treated as a missing persons case. It was declared a murder investigation by gardaí on April 29th. Human remains found in fields and at the Gaine's farm in Kenmare in mid-May were confirmed as being those of Mr Gaine. A man in his 50s was arrested on May 19th last in connection with the murder. He was subsequently released without charge pending a file to the DPP. Mr Gaine is survived by his wife Janice, sisters Noreen and Catherine, nieces and nephews, his aunt Noreen Fitzpatrick, his close friends DJ and Shane and his wide circle of friends.

Riot police and anti-ICE protesters clash in Los Angeles after immigration raids
Riot police and anti-ICE protesters clash in Los Angeles after immigration raids

Irish Times

time5 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Riot police and anti-ICE protesters clash in Los Angeles after immigration raids

Helmeted police in riot gear turned out on Friday evening in a tense confrontation with protesters in downtown Los Angeles , after a day of federal immigration raids in which dozens of people across the city were reported to be taken into custody. Live Reuters video showed Los Angeles Police Department officers lined up on a downtown street wielding batons and what appeared to be tear gas rifles, facing off with demonstrators after authorities had ordered crowds of protesters to disperse around nightfall. Early in the standoff, some protesters hurled chunks of broken concrete toward officers, and police responded by firing volleys of tear gas and pepper spray. Police also fired 'flash-bang' concussion rounds. It was not clear whether there were any immediate arrests. An LAPD spokesperson, Drake Madison, said that police on the scene had declared an unlawful assembly, meaning that those who failed to leave the area were subject to arrest. READ MORE Television news footage earlier in the day showed caravans of unmarked military-style vehicles and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents targeted several locations, including a Home Depot in the city's Wetlake District, an apparel store in the Fashion District and a clothing warehouse in South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles City News Service (CNS). Protesters walk the street near the site of a federal immigration raid in Los Angeles on Friday. Federal agents in tactical gear armed with military-style rifles threw flash-bang grenades to disperse an angry crowd as they conducted an immigration raid on a clothing wholesaler. Photograph: Alex Welsh/The New York Times [ What is Trump's new travel ban, and which countries are affected? Opens in new window ] CNS and other local media reported dozens of people were taken into custody during the raids, the latest in a series of such sweeps conducted in a number of cities as part of President Donald Trump's extensive crackdown on illegal immigration. The Republican president has vowed to arrest and deport undocumented migrants in record numbers. The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement action. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and massed outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were believed to be held. Impromptu demonstrations had also erupted at some of the raid locations earlier in the day. One organised labour executive, David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union of California (SEIU), was injured and detained by ICE at one site, according to an SEIU statement. [ The immigrant familes fleeing Trump's US: 'I had to pack up my little things and leave. They have painted us as criminals' Opens in new window ] The union said Mr Huerta was arrested 'while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity'. No details about the nature or severity of Mr Huerta's injury were given. It was not clear whether he was charged with a crime. ICE did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for information about its enforcement actions or Mr Huerta's detention. Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass issued a statement condemning the immigration raids, saying, 'these tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city'. – Reuters

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store