Thousands attend protest in Belfast to 'show solidarity with Palestinians'

Crowds of protester in Writers' Square in Belfast city centre. Many of them are holding Palestinian flags and walking behind large bannersPacemaker

Thousands of people attended the protest march which began at Writers' Square in Belfast city centre

Kevin Sharkey
BBC News NI

Several thousand people have taken part in a Palestine solidarity protest in Belfast demanding sanctions against Israel.

The demonstration was organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign as part of a series of protests in towns and cities on both sides of the Irish border.

In Dublin, protesters marched from the US embassy to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Other protests were staged in Londonderry, Newry, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Navan, Carlow, and Waterford.

'It's just horrific'

Mary Kelly and family members at the Belfast protest on Saturday. Three women with blonde hair, a young girl with long blond hair and a young boy with short red hair stand in front of St Anne's Cathedral. The woman in the middle is carrying a Palestinian flag. The boy is blowing into a whistle.

Mary Kelly (third from right) and members of her family were among thousands of people who took part in the Belfast protest march

Mary Kelly attended the Belfast protest with her sister and other members of her family to show support for the people of Gaza.

"What's going on is absolutely disgusting," she told BBC News NI.

"We're watching every day - on alternative channels to be fair - at what's happening live in our faces.

"We've been here years doing this, we're just wondering when it's ever going to stop."

Ms Kelly added: "It's just horrific - horrific crimes going on while the world is watching. It's heartbreaking actually."

'This is about humanity'

Eftaima Najjair at the protest in Belfast, with St Anne's Cathedral in the background. She is wearing a black hijab scarf on her her and a black and white patterned coat with red and black panels at the front. Protesters holding Palestinian flags are standing in the distance behind her.

Eftaima Najjair said the people attending the protest gave her "hope for the future"

Eftaima Najjair from Portadown, County Armagh, was also among the protesters.

"Showing solidarity is very important and coming out today, even as a Muslim-Arab lady, looking at all these different people from different places - young, old, babies, elderly - it really gives a lot of hope for the future," she said.

"This is about humanity, it not about just the Palestinian people.

"It's about our humanity and looking at these people who are starving... just sitting back home doing nothing is not an option," Ms Najjair added.

"So the least we can do is come out in solidarity and show that we're here and that we really care and that we're trying our best."

'People power'

Orla Wallace smiling at the camera during the Belfast protest. She has dark, curly hair and is weaing gold hooped earrings and a black and white scarf. People behind her are carrying Palestinian flags.

Orla Wallace believes "people power" can make a difference

Belfast protester Orla Wallace said she believed "people power makes a difference" in registering the strength of public objection to Israel's actions in Gaza.

"I think there's nothing more important right now in the world," she said.

"We're witnessing a live-streamed genocide, and we've got to do everything in our power to stand up and to object to it and we can do that with people power."

The Israeli government has long rejected accusations of genocide and says its defence forces target terrorists and never civilians.

Protest outside BBC

Crowds of protesters gathered outside BBC NI's headquarters in Belfast city centre. Some are holding Palestinian flags. There is scaffolding around the building.

The protesters marched to BBC NI's headquarters in Ormeau Avenue

Demonstrators at the Belfast protest walked through the city to BBC NI headquarters to express dissatisfaction at BBC coverage of events in Gaza.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led 7 October attack in 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 more were taken hostage.

At least 64,300 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry.

The ministry also said 376 people have died during the war so far as a result of malnutrition and starvation.

A crowd of protesters at Saturday's march in Derry. Many are carrying Palestinian flags. They are gathered on a concourse and a number of people are sitting on steps opposite, watching the demonstration

Many Palestinian flags were on display at the Derry protest on Saturday

In Londonderry the protest march began on Bishop Street and made its way through the city to finish at Guildhall Square.

Hundreds of people took part, with many waving Palestinian flags.

In Newry, a rally was held outside the town hall.

Related topics