Thousands take part in pro-Palestinian rally in Dublin
Saturday's rally saw demonstrators march from the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square to Leinster House. It was the 16th such demonstration since October 2023 and came after the Dail rose for the summer recess.
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) accused the Irish Government of an 'absolute refusal to hold Israel accountable for a genocide in which the Apartheid state has slaughtered more than 58,000 Palestinians'. The march demanded an end to the Central Bank of Ireland's role in approving Israel Bonds for sale in the EU, for the Government to include services in the Occupied Territories Bill and to pass that legislation.
It also called for an end to the use of Irish airspace for the transport of weapons to the region. The group also criticised the Government after 33 Palestinian children were recently denied entry to Ireland over visa issues.
GAA Palestine said it had to take the 'heartbreaking' decision to cancel a planned Irish tour for the children. Speaking ahead of the protest, IPSC chairperson Zoe Lawlor said: 'The Irish government is barely lifting a finger to end Ireland's deep complicity in this genocide.'
Ms Lawlor added: 'On top of this we have the appalling spectacle of the state refusing visas to child medical evacuees and Palestinian kids to visit Ireland to play our national sports.' Stretching along Molesworth Street in front of Leinster House was a 120ft long and 5.5ft wide quilt, made up of 2,300 panels.
Each panel – the vast majority of which were knitted by hand – is designed to represent the deaths of 10 children in Gaza, adding up to a total of 23,000 children. Anna Doyle and Niamh Bonner, from Craftivism For Gaza, said they are still accepting squares as the death toll continues to rise.
Ms Doyle told the PA news agency: 'Each square represents 10 children. Their voices have been lost to the world forever. It also represents the voice of the crafter because most of them are made by people who wouldn't be able to come to a protest.'
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