'Die-in' to take place at City Hall in solidarity with Gaza

Close to one thousand people are expected to lie down on the ground outside Cork City Hall in a silent visual demonstration of civilians killed by Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

The protest will take place at 2.15pm on Saturday 9 December and has been organised by the the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The demonstrators will carry Palestinian flags, placards with the names of Palestinians who have died in the conflict, with slogans such as Ceasefire Now, Stop the Genocide in Gaza and No Arms Through Shannon.

The short, visually striking 'die-in' will take place during a solidarity demonstration for Palestine that will start with a rally at 1pm in Grand Parade, followed by a march down Patrick’s Street and on to City Hall for a die-in at 2.15pm.

After the die-in at City Hall, marchers will move onto Oliver Plunkett Street and then back to Grand Parade. The rally at Grand Parade will feature traditional Palestinian music, musician Martin Leahy and speakers (Cristina Collins, Martin Shiel, & Donal Guerin).

Speaking about the event, a spekesperson for the the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: “The die-in is taking place to help people visually take in the scale of the death toll in Gaza and to call on the Irish Government to demand an end to Israel’s war on Gaza, pass the Occupied Territories Bill, cease all trade with Israel and expel the Israeli ambassador.

“The Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign is also calling on the Irish Government to demand that the EU impose sanctions on Israel.”

Protests against the war on Gaza have taken place in the city for nine consecutive weekends.