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13th Jan 2024

Thousands take to Dublin streets to call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Simon Kelly

Palestine protest Dublin

It was the 13th march of its kind in the capital.

Thousands of people marched through Dublin city centre on Saturday, January 13, in a protest against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The pro-Palestine march began at around 1.30pm from the Garden of Remembrance and proceeded along O’Connell Street

Many protesters could be seen waving Palestinian flags, wearing the traditional keffiyeh and holding up placards critical of the Irish and US governments.

Thousands take to Dublin streets to call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

The protest is set to finish up at the Department of Foreign Affairs in St Stephen’s Green, where a rally will be held.

During the protest, many called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, while also criticising the Irish government for not supporting South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

The “National Demonstration for Palestine” was organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and is part of a global day of action, which has seen similar protests take place in Cork, Ennis, Longford, Killorglin, Carrick-on-Shannon and Derry.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald travelled to London to take part in a similar march in the English capital, which also saw thousands show up in solidarity.

The opposition leader said: “When I say this, standing in London, in common cause with you, (having) walked our own journey out of conflict, building peace for 25 years, this can happen.

“This must happen and we will ensure that it does.”

Saturday’s march was the 13th of its kind on Dublin streets since Israel started its bombardment of Gaza, which has killed over 22,000 Palestinian men, women and children.

“Israel’s military is killing Palestinians at an average rate of 250 people a day, which massively exceeds the daily death toll of any other major conflict of recent years,” Oxfam said in a statement this week.

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