People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy detained in Egypt by the authorities
People Before Profit
TD
Paul Murphy
has been detained on Friday afternoon along with a group of people who are travelling through
Egypt
to reach Rafah on the Global March to
Gaza
.
The Egyptian authorities have confiscated their passports and are attempting to get Mr Murphy and the other marchers to board a bus without stating where the bus is going. At the moment they are refusing to board the bus, according to a People Before Profit statement.
Mr Murphy posted a video on X showing protesters chanting 'Free, free Palestine' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'.
We have had our passports confiscated and are being detained. It seems Egyptian authorities have decided to crack down on the
— Paul Murphy 🇵🇸 (@paulmurphy_TD)
He added: 'We have had our passports confiscated and are being detained. It seems Egyptian authorities have decided to crack down on the
#GreatMarchToGaza
. We are refusing to board the deportation bus."
READ MORE
Other protesters had their phones taken from them.
'It's looking worrying that the Egyptian authorities are trying to prevent our peaceful march to Gaza,' he said.
'I am asking people to redouble their efforts and get on to their governments, in our case
Simon Harris
(Tánaiste and Minister for
Foreign Affairs
) to pressurise the Egyptian government to allow us to engage in our peaceful march.
'The world has watched an horrific genocide for the last 20 months. Since March there's been a total attempt at starvation and this is a peaceful march that western governments stop their complicity.'
People Before Profit national secretary Matt Collins called on the Irish Government to contact the Egyptian authorities to demand the release of those detained.
'They are on a peaceful march to demand that humanitarian aid is delivered to starving people in Gaza. There is no reason for them to be detained,' he said.
Mr Murphy is one of 50 Irish people who is participating in the global March To Gaza.
People from 54 countries are taking part, and will march from Cairo to the Rafah Crossing at the border of Egypt and Palestine on Friday demanding aid be allowed in.
The Egyptian embassy had been contacted for comment.
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The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
TD Paul Murphy and other Irish activists released from detention in Egypt
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT TD Paul Murphy has been released from detention in Egypt after he and several others were detained while trying to cross Egypt to reach the start point of the March for Gaza. Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris has also confirmed that there are no Irish citizens currently in detention in Egypt relating to the march to Rafah. Thousands of people have travelled to Egypt to hold demonstrations at its border with Palestine, but authorities have detained hundreds of people who arrived for the march in recent days. Murphy and others travelling alongside him were detained by Egyptian authorities yesterday . In an update on social media this morning, Murphy said the group were released at Cairo airport 'late last night at airport'. He said the police still the group's phones. We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones. We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸🇵🇸 #GlobalMarchToGaza — Paul Murphy 🇵🇸 (@paulmurphy_TD) June 14, 2025 'We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support,' he said. Simon Harris this morning said that he had spoken to the Irish embassy in Egypt. 'I am pleased that following the work of our Embassy staff, all Irish people who were detained yesterday in Rafah have been released and have had their passports returned,' the Tánaiste said. 'I spoke directly to Deputy Murphy to confirm he and other Irish people have been released from detention, had their passports returned and were receiving consular assistance.' Harris said the wellbeing and safety of all Irish citizens abroad 'is always of concern to me and to my Department' 'I am aware some Irish citizens have not had their phones returned by the authorities and I have asked our embassy to pursue this.' Advertisement People Before Profit councillor Jess Spear, who is Murphy's partner, said she was relieved to hear that he and the others in his group have been released. 'However, they still want to reach Rafah to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza. That has been the sole purpose of being in Egypt,' she said. 'Paul has appealed to Tánaiste Simon Harris to put pressure on the Egyptian authorities to let the marchers reach Rafah. 'The situation of the people of Gaza worsens by the day as they suffer starvation imposed by Israel. We need to get humanitarian aid to them as quickly as possible'. Participants who have arrived in Cairo are travelling by car and bus to the Egyptian city of Al Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, where they will begin a 48km march to the Egyptian side of the Gaza border near Rafah. Several dozen Irish activists are among the thousands who have travelled to Egypt for the March. Social Democrats councillor Mick Barry, who has also travelled to Egypt, told The Journal yesterday that he was aware of around 47 Irish delegates having flown to Egypt, of whom at least 35 successfully got through the airport in Cairo. 'We got into Cairo yesterday. It was quite difficult to get through the airport for some people,' he said. A spokesperson for the Social Democrats later said that Barry was 'turned around at a checkpoint in Ismailia but was not detained'. Israel has pressured Egyptian authorities to prevent participants from reaching the border with Gaza. Participants in the Global March to Gaza are aiming to arrive at the border on Sunday and camp there before returning to Cairo by next Thursday. Organisers say their goal is 'absolutely not' to try to forcibly enter Gaza but to try to negotiate the opening of the Rafah terminal with Egyptian authorities to deliver humanitarian aid – but Egypt has been creating hurdles for the movement. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Irish citizens held in Egypt, including TD Paul Murphy released
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has been released from detention by the Egyptian authorities after being held in the region on Friday. The Irish politician was among a group of people who were travelling through Egypt to reach Rafah on the Global March to Gaza, when the incident took place. The party reported on Friday that Mr Murphy and the group had their passports confiscated by Egyptian authorities who were attempting to have them board a bus, which they refused. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has been released from detention by the Egyptian authorities after being held in the region on Friday. Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photos In a post on X, Mr Murphy wrote: 'We have had our passports confiscated and are being detained. 'It seems Egyptian authorities have decided to crack down on the #GreatMarchToGaza. 'We are refusing to board the deportation bus,' he added. The Irish politician was among a group of people who were travelling through Egypt to reach Rafah on the Global March to Gaza, when the incident took place. Pic: X A final tweet from the TD's account reads: 'These are the final seconds we have from Paul. His phone has been taken, and his passport. We urgently need Minister for Foreign Affairs @SimonHarrisTD to intervene, demand he is freed, his passport & phone returned and the protesters are allowed to peacefully #MarchToGaza.' People Before Profit have since confirmed Mr Murphy's release, with Councillor Jess Spear commenting: 'It is a relief to hear that Paul and the others in his group have been released and are ok. However, they still want to reach Rafah to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza. That has been the sole purpose of being in Egypt. 'Paul has appealed to Tánaiste Simon Harris to put pressure on the Egyptian authorities to let the marchers reach Rafah. The situation of the people of Gaza worsens by the day as they suffer starvation imposed by Israel. We need to get humanitarian aid to them as quickly as possible.' The party reported on Friday that Mr Murphy and the group had their passports confiscated by Egyptian authorities who were attempting to have them board a bus, which they refused. Pic: X In a post on X on Saturday, Simon Harris confirmed he is currently in contact with Egyptian authorities. 'I have spoken with @IRLEmbCairo & I can confirm that there are no Irish citizens currently in detention in Egypt relating to the march to Rafah. All Irish citizens have had their passports returned. A small number have not had their phones returned & our Embassy is pursuing this.' Mr Murphy also shared an update on the platform, writing: 'We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones. We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine.' We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones. We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸🇵🇸#GlobalMarchToGaza
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Paul Murphy and March to Gaza participants released from detention in Egypt
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy and other people who were travelling through Egypt to participate in the Global March to Gaza have been released from detention by the Egyptian authorities. People Before Profit confirmed Murphy's release from detention in a statement on Saturday morning and said that Murphy and other detainees were OK and were still intending to reach Rafah to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza. Councillor Jess Spear said: 'It is a relief to hear that Paul and the others in his group have been released and are ok. However, they still want to reach Rafah to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza. That has been the sole purpose of being in Egypt. 'Paul has appealed to Tánaiste Simon Harris to put pressure on the Egyptian authorities to let the marchers reach Rafah. The situation of the people of Gaza worsens by the day as they suffer starvation imposed by Israel. We need to get humanitarian aid to them as quickly as possible'. A post on Murphy's X account on Saturday morning read: "We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones. "We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine." Murphy had been detained after flying to Cairo on Thursday to join protestors marching from Egypt to the Rafah Border to protest the blockade of aid entering Gaza. People Before Profit had suggested on Friday that the Egyptian authorities had confiscated the passports of Murphy and were 'attempting to get Paul and the other marchers to board a bus for deportation'. The party said that after the protestors had initially refused to get on, they were eventually "forced on the bus". A spokesman said: "We believe they are being taken to Cairo for deportation. Paul's phone has been taken so we are no longer in contact with him." Matt Collins, National Secretary of People Before Profit, had called on the Irish Government to intervene. He said: 'The Irish government must contact the Egyptian authorities to demand the release of Paul and the others who have been detained. 'They are on a peaceful march to demand that humanitarian aid is delivered to starving people in Gaza. There is no reason for them to be detained'. 'We also call on the public to contact the Egyptian embassy to demand that people on the Global March to Gaza are allowed to travel unhindered.' People Before Profit member Kellie McConnell was also detained and had her passport confiscated. When asked if the Irish Government would intervene, a spokesperson for Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris referred the Irish Mirror to the Department of Foreign Affairs press office, noting that it was a 'consular" matter. Mr Murphy flew to Cairo on Thursday to join protestors marching from Egypt to the Rafah Border to protest the blockade of aid entering Gaza. Videos posted on social media throughout Friday afternoon showed people asking authorities where their passports were and chanting 'free, free Palestine'. Mr Murphy also alleged that people's phones were confiscated. He said: 'We have arrived at a location on the way to Rafah. Unfortunately, when we got here, our passports were immediately confiscated by the army. Everyone else who is here has had the same situation. 'There was a bus here which they tried to get people to go on. They refused to go on it because they think, I think correctly, that it would be used to deport them. 'We've heard news about people being stopped in Cairo and their passports taken off them and now it seems their phones taken off them and probably detained with a view to deporting them.' A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said it and the Embassy of Ireland in Egypt are 'closely monitoring the situation'. They said: 'Embassy officials are engaging with the relevant local authorities and are in contact with EU and other partners regarding the situation. 'The Department is in contact with a number of citizens and is providing advice and guidance. 'As set out in our travel advice, the vicinity of the Rafah border crossing is particularly dangerous at the moment and the border crossing is currently closed.' The Egyptian Embassy in Dublin did not respond to queries from the Irish Mirror.
