14 arrested at protest against Israel’s war in Gaza after Leinster House blocked

By Cate McCurry, PA

A total of 14 people have been arrested at a protest against Israel’s war in Gaza after the entrance to Leinster House in Dublin was blocked.

10 women aged in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, and one man aged in his 20s were arrested under section eight of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

Gardai confirmed that all 11 have received adult cautions.

Three other men, aged in their 20s and 30s, were also arrested for alleged offences under sections six, nine and 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order Act) 1994.

The three men have been charged and are due before court.

It comes after a group of women had gathered for a vigil organised by the Mothers Against Genocide group on Sunday.

It was to mark Mother’s Day and to remember the children and mothers killed in Gaza.

The group held an overnight protest calling on the Government to do more about the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Protesters who staged a sitdown protest in front of the Leinster House gates were forcibly removed.

They had been due to read out a letter calling on the Government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill and to prevent the use of Irish airspace to carry weapons to Israel.

The group placed photographs of Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces along the gates and railings of Leinster House.

Gardai said they told protesters who were blocking the gates to clear the entrance.

Megan Ni Ghabhlain, a member of Mothers Against Genocide, said: “Eight of us were removed and arrested by gardai.

“Eight mothers who had obligations today, school runs that they were going to be collecting their children from, and the aim of those mothers was to prevent the slaughter of innocent children.

“Last night we came together to honour the 18,000 children who have been brutally murdered with a beautiful vigil.

“We had displays of the gorgeous children who we wanted to humanise, that they are not just numbers to become desensitised to.

“These are children who had bright hopes and dreams, just like our own, and were loved as much as we love our own.

“Unfortunately the gardaí decided to come down and remove these precious faces of these children in the most disrespectful manner, so we decided we would sit with our pillow babies in solidarity with these women, whose children have been murdered.”

In a statement, a garda spokesman said: “An Garda Siochana was aware of a public gathering taking place on Kildare Street, Dublin 2 which had commenced last night Sunday.

“As is the case with all evolving events that require a garda presence in order to maintain full public safety, An Garda Siochana adopts a response based on the community policing model, all relevant legislation and human rights.

“Following garda engagement with a number of individuals who were blocking the entrance to Dail Eireann, Kildare Street this morning, Gardai gave the individuals a direction under the Public Order Act and were given a period of time to adhere to this direction.

“The direction given by Gardai was not complied with and a number of individuals were subsequently arrested for offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 and conveyed to Garda stations in Dublin.”