800 people march through Cork City in support of Palestine

An estimated 800 people marched through the Cork City before about 150 people continued to University College Cork. Picture: David Browne

Pro-Palestine rallies through Cork City will continue until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, those who attended the 32nd such consecutive event on Saturday were told.

An estimated 800 people marched through the city before about 150 people continued to University College Cork (UCC) to show solidarity with those involved in the UCC Gaza solidarity camp.

The encampment on the historic quad, organised by the UCC BDS (boycott, divestment, solidarity) group, enters its fifth day.

Martin Sheil, the co-chair of the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign, told the city centre rally that the weekly demonstrations will continue.

“Protesters in Cork are united with millions of protesters around the world and with the billions of people horrified by the continued slaughter in Gaza," he said.

It was held as the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, supported by over 100 Irish civil society groups, held a national demonstration for Palestine in Dublin — the sixth such national mobilisation since October.

Protesters gathered at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square and marched to Leinster House where there were calls for an end to Israel’s assault on the people of Gaza, and for the Government to take action to hold Israel accountable. 

Among the speakers were Lubnah Shomali of BADIL, the Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights; Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign chairperson Zoe Lawlor; Zak Hania, who until recently was the last Irish citizen trapped in Gaza; Walaa Ajjawi, a Palestinian refugee woman living in Ireland; and Jenny Maguire, president-elect of Trinity College Dublin students' union, who spoke about the student encampment.

'It must go beyond words of support'

Among those to address the Cork rally was Caoimhe Lyons, one of the students involved in the UCC BDS camp, which has been christened Camp Saoirse. Picture: David Browne

Among those to address the Cork rally was Caoimhe Lyons, one of the students involved in the UCC BDS camp, which has been christened Camp Saoirse.

She said those involved are demanding that UCC break all links with Israel, including financial, educational, cultural, and military, and urged more action from the Government.

“It must go beyond words of support for Palestinians to action, including enacting the Occupied Territories Bill, which the Government is refusing to sign into law," said Ms Lyons.

She claimed the Government is refusing to isolate Israel through sanctions because, she claimed, “the Government is committed to protecting the financial interests of companies with links to Israel".

She praised the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign and left-wing political parties in the city for their campaign against Collins Aerospace, whose parent company, RTX, formerly known as Raytheon, supplies hardware and software to the Israel defence forces.

The Irish Examiner revealed this week how Collins Aerospace had withdrawn “by mutual agreement” from the council’s annual Cork Carnival of Science event following protests at its offices in the city centre.

Ms Lyons also called on trade unions to support the campus protests and praised the UAW union in America for calling a strike at the University of California in the coming week in protest at police suppression of US campus protests.

UCC this week said it recognises and respects the right to peaceful protest and has liaised with members of the UCC BDS group to ensure the safe staging of their demonstration. Picture: David Browne

UCC this week said it recognises and respects the right to peaceful protest and has liaised with members of the UCC BDS group to ensure the safe staging of their demonstration.

It said it is also in an “ongoing direct and constructive engagement” with its students’ union in relation to the university’s position on the conflict in Gaza.

“Following engagement with the students’ union last week, UCC has already committed to establishing a Palestine emergency response working group, involving students’ union representation to identify ways to make existing UCC Sanctuary Scholarships available to displaced Palestinian students, and to find ways to expand the university’s current Scholars at Risk programme for those displaced or at risk as a result of the conflict."

It said it also plan to divest its investment with an Israeli financial institution, which constitutes less than half a per cent of the university’s overall investments.