‘City Council could take stronger steps to show solidarity’

This weekend Cork’s streets will once again see a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people as protesters gather for the 79th consecutive week to express their support for the besieged region.

Held every Saturday, the weekly marches, which are organised by the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC), have become a familiar sight on the city’s streets, and continue to draw support from across the city and beyond.

CPSC spokesperson Asch Ní Fhinn said the response has remained strong, reflecting Cork’s ongoing commitment to the Palestinian cause. However she noted that further steps could be taken by Cork City Council to show solidarity.

“Support from the people of Cork has been incredibly strong throughout. Many feel a deep connection to the Palestinian struggle and have shown up consistently to demand justice, a ceasefire, and accountability,” she told the Cork Independent.

“Cork City Council could take stronger steps to show solidarity, such as calling for an immediate ceasefire, divesting from companies complicit in Israeli apartheid, and rejecting any associations with the arms trade,” she said.

“In particular, we would like to see the closure of Collins Aerospace, a company involved in arms manufacturing and the supply of weapons to Israel, which has an office here in Cork. Cork has a long and proud tradition of international solidarity, and we believe it has the power and responsibility to lead again,” she added.

While the weather hasn’t always been kind, she said that it doesn’t dampen the spirits of attendees or stop people from showing up at the rallies.

“Attendance has ranged from around 450 to 1,500 people, depending on the week. While numbers naturally fluctuate due to weather or other events, the commitment and energy have remained steady,” she said.

“Staying motivated can be difficult in the face of such ongoing horror, but what keeps us going is the shared conviction that silence is complicity. People are determined to stand on the right side of history,” she added.

This week’s rally’s theme is ‘A nation is being erased. Wake up. Speak out. This is genocide without a doubt’ and the organisers are hoping to have Dr Nick Maynard, a British surgeon who has volunteered in Gaza with Medical Aid for Palestinians, speak at the protest. There will also be local speakers and activists contributing.

Last week a member of the Choctaw Nation was present at the rally wearing traditional dress to deliver a personal message of solidarity to Cork campaigners.

“We, The Choctaw, the Irish, the Palestinians are bound by the shared struggle for our lives, our dignity, our land, for freedom, for justice and from the unrelenting forces that try to erase us. I think of the Choctaw, the Irish, the Palestinians, the fight for liberation echoes through time.

“When I watch the Palestinians stand amongst the rubble, I see my people. Let us rise together and declare our voices will not be silenced.”