Statement from the organisers of the Not in Our Name solidarity action on 17th March 2024 Part I: History of colonisation as the crux of solidarity between Ireland and Palestine ♣️

“We stand here today because we understand the responsibility placed upon us by our history as a colonized people – to demonstrate our solidarity with those facing crushing subjugation and sheer annihilation; and to refuse to serve as another cog in that machine of death, another boot on the neck of the Palestinian people.
We have learned something that Joe Biden – Butcher Biden – has never bothered to internalize – to the great shame of our common ancestors.
We take inspiration from the collective action of principled Irish musicians in recent days, who have borne the brunt of standing up for the Palestinian people, where our craven and sycophantic elected officials have so transparently failed.
As Irish emigrants we take the charge set forth by the Irish Artists for Palestine who are today calling for a boycott of the White House shamrock ceremony. We are among those who refute what this tradition symbolizes: this defanged idea of Irishness; this mawkish, misty-eyed sentimentality; and this utter detachment for the chillingly cynical purposes of Realpolitik. The current Irish, German, and American governments seem to value the latter above all – but we dissent. We will not adhere to the culture of silence here in Germany.
In our marrow, we know all too well the searing pain and cruelty of weaponised starvation, brutal landgrabs, scorched earth tactics, indiscriminate executions, and the wholesale slaughter of human beings, committed by supposedly civilized people, while supposedly civilized people look on.
We are – as our seer Growler has said many times before – fite fuaite. Our fates are deeply intertwined with those of the Palestinian people.
In our words and in our deeds, we pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.”

Statement from the organisers of the Not in Our Name solidarity action on 17th March 2024 Part II: Message to the Irish government: the time to act is NOW ♣️

“We call on the Irish government to be a leading force in Europe in stepping up on behalf of the Palestinians and holding Israeli leaders to account. We want Irish leaders to act in a way that does justice to our history, and paves the way for a bright Palestinian future. In 1980, Ireland was the first EU member state to endorse the establishment of a fully sovereign Palestinian State. To Varadkar in Washington, it’s time to cop yourself on. We want Ireland to join the ICJ case against Israel NOW. We want Irish leaders to refrain from acts of political politeness and diplomacy in the face of this war of attrition against the people of Gaza, NOW.
We wish to thank all of you for joining us, especially today; for taking the time to say that this genocide will not be carried out in our name. We refuse to be complicit.
We want to give particular thanks to the Irish Bloc Berlin for their support in this action – please follow them on Instagram and join their ranks at Palestinian solidarity protests.
With all this in mind, let us say:
Saoirse Don Phalaistín!
Ní i m’ainmsa!
Hoch die internationale Solidarität!”