Tomorrow: Peaceful Protest at Shamrock Rovers vs BY Tel Aviv game to highlight Israeli Apartheid

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Wednesday July 14, 2010 14:40 by Freda H - IPSC

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), supported by Eirigi, the Palestinian Right Institute & Irish Anti War Movement, will hold a peaceful protest at the Shamrock Rovers vs Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv game in Tallaght Stadium on Thursday July 15th. The protest starts at 7pm and will take place outside the stadium.

Love Football, Hate Apartheid

Outside the stadium banners reading, ‘Love Football, Hate Apartheid’, ‘Boycott Israeli Apartheid’ and ‘Unity against Occupation' will be displayed peacefully alongside Palestinian flags. We certainly don't want to hijack Rovers first European game in years and are asking our supporters not to interupt the game under any circumstances. The protest will take place outside, but if Rovers supporters want to take Palestinian flags into the game we would be happy to see them in the stands.

The crowd outside will be taking part in a peaceful act of solidarity with the people of Palestine who have suffered so much, and continue to suffer daily, at the hands of the Israeli state.

Reports from Shamrock Rovers supporters indicate a high level of empathy with the Palestinian situation and support for the protest.

The protest will call for a sporting boycott of Israeli football teams due to the Apartheid nature of the Israeli State. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) have confirmed that this game falls under their Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) guidelines.

Freda Hughes, IPSC National Chairperson, said, "It is rare that an Israeli team visits Ireland so we are taking this opportunity to raise awareness of the Apartheid nature of the Israeli State and the need for a sporting boycott of teams that act as ambassadors for that state. We are also calling on Shamrock Rovers fans not to travel to Israel for the return leg of the game as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people."

Ms Hughes continued: "Some people say that sport and politics should not mix, however we say that sport and racism should never mix - hence the theme of our protest, 'Love Football, Hate Apartheid'. The IPSC would point to the sporting boycott against South Africa, which was one of the most effective tools employed in ostracising that state and revealing to the world its Apartheid regime and disregard for human rights. We believe that this tactic can also be used to help force the Israeli state to comply fully with its obligations under international law and show respect for Palestinian human rights."

Ms Hughes concluded: "Palestinian teams have consistently been refused visas to travel to competitions, and aren't afforded the same training facilities and funding as Israeli teams. Restrictions on movement both within the West Bank and between the West Bank and Gaza further compound the difficulties that Palestinian footballers face. In 2006 the football stadium in Gaza was bombed by the IDF. We will use this protest to raise awareness amongst football fans of these issues and hope that Shamrock Rovers and their fans will support the boycott as an effective form of direct action in future."

PSC and Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods campaigners protest and Israeli team playing in England