Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

Over the past number of months across Europe we have seen repression and criminalisation of pro-Palestinian protestors. In Germany, for example, there have been severe police crackdowns and a banning of Palestine solidarity protests on the wrong basis that they are antisemitic. In Britain, we have seen the potential criminalisation of the carrying of flags and of chants, and there is now a report that urges a ban on pro-Palestinian marches. Unfortunately, it looks like some of the same is now coming to Ireland. Yesterday, a Palestinian activist was fined €1,000 simply for attending a protest at the Israeli embassy. He was not accused of doing anything beyond that, yet he was fined €1,000. It stands in very stark contrast to the kid gloves with which the State treats the actions of far-right agitators. We have now had more than 20 arson attacks and not a single arrest.

Will the Government defend the right of people to protest, including pro-Palestinian protests?

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