Derry, Ireland, January 13, 2024. For IMEMC News, Niall Ó Brolcháin: As Apartheid Israel continues pounding the captive and besieged people of Gaza with indiscriminate bombing and a full-scale invasion, all with the blessing of Western powers, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) held emergency solidarity rallies throughout Ireland in support of the Palestinian people.
In Derry, thousands of people took to the streets again to call for an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza.
The march, organised by the Derry branch of the IPSC (Derry IPSC), took the historic civil rights march route of 1968, leaving the train station at 12pm and finishing at the Guildhall.
The march was part of an International Day of Action for Palestine. Similar events were held worldwide.
Marchers carried dolls dressed in white to represent the thousands of Palestinian children who have already been killed by the Israeli bombardment.
Chairperson of the Derry IPSC, Catherine Hutton, outlined the aims of the march:
“We stand with people all over the world in demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.
We call for legal proceedings to begin at once against the Netanyahu government for their genocidal actions.
The IPSC fully supports the South African led initiative to hold Israel account at the International Criminal Court.
We urge the Irish government to back South Africa and take a stand for humanity.
The complicity of the US administration, led by President Joe Biden, in the Gaza genocide should never be ignored or forgotten.
We are actively campaigning for all our politicians to boycott the White House this St. Patrick’s Day.
The people of Derry have shown incredible solidarity with Palestine. We have come out in our thousands to support the march.
Together, we can send a powerful message of solidarity to the Palestinian people and a clear message of resistance to the Israeli oppressors.
In our thousands, in our millions – we are all Palestinians.”
Many groups supported the march in Derry including the main political parties, independents, trade unions, journalists, activists from various affiliations, sports clubs and schools.
Speakers at train station included Palestinian Fadi Mustafa of the Donegal IPSC, People Before Profit’s (PBP) Cllr. Shaun Harkin, Sinn Féin Cllr Sandra Duffy, Independent Cllr Gary Donnelly and Colum Eastwood MP of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).
At the Guildhall, the crowd was treated to singing from Sarah Stewart and Higgsy, Abby Olivera recited a Palestinian poem and speakers included Becca Bor from Jews For Palestine Ireland, Niall McCarroll of Derry Trade Unions Council (DTUC), chairman of the Bloody Sunday Trust Tony Doherty and Kate Nash from the Bloody Sunday March Committee, and Majida Al-Askari of the Buncrana Palestine Support Group.
In a statement on its website, the IPSC said:
“We need to tell our leaders that we won’t be silent in the face of Israeli war crimes, illegal collective punishment and threats of mass ethnic cleansing.
We need to tell Apartheid Israel that we will escalate the international campaign for justice in Palestine.”
