Thousands of people gathered around in Dublin to show their solidarity with Palestinians in the midst of an ongoing conflict with Israel. Large crowds assembled around the Spire on O’Connell Street on Saturday afternoon asking to end violence against the Palestinian people. The protesters marched through the city to the Israeli embassy in Ballsbridge chanting “Free Palestine” and carrying banners calling for the end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and for a stop to the genocide. They waved the Palestinian flag along with the Irish Tricolour
Similar demonstrations took place in Belfast, Cork and Galway – but on a smaller scale. In the capital, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett, attended the rally and called for an end to the “apartheid state”.
He said he was “deeply disappointed” by US president Joe Biden and the US administration for not taking a stance against the violence and he praised the Irish Government for speaking out about the violence.
Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee from their homes after a week of sustained conflict. Palestinian militant group Hamas has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, whose military responded by barraging the Gaza Strip with tank fire and air strikes. Many have died and had been under treatment with fatal injuries.