A pro-Palestinian protest at which two men were arrested took place outside the Israeli embassy in Dublin, Ireland Monday night. One man defaced the door of the building with red paint after climbing over the outer fence, The Irish Times reports.
The protest came amid ongoing warfare in Israel and the Gaza Strip after Palestinian terrorist group Hamas ambushed southern Israel with horrific violence, killing over 900 people including civilians, women and children.
The group of several hundred protesters, including Irish left-wing alliance group People Before Profit, lit flares and waved Palestinian flags while shouting “Palestine will be free.”
It is also reported that protesters stomped on and burned Israeli flags that were left along with flowers, candles and cards that had been knocked over.
Andy Ngo reported that the group that left the items outside of the embassy earlier in solidarity with Israel were told to leave before the pro-Palestinian group arrived and that when they destroyed the memorial, the “police did nothing.”
In response, the Israel Embassy has said they are “appalled” by the vandalism and that it risked “legitimising Hamas” instead of “helping the Palestinian cause.”
A spokesperson from the Embassy stated to Newstalk: “We are appalled that at a time when hundreds of innocent Israelis have been butchered and kidnapped some people choose to stay silent and instead of condemning the horrors, try and attack the Embassy.”
Following the escalation at the protest, a group called the Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland claimed responsibility on social media and said the vandalism was motivated by a “defense of Palestine.”
Their post on X read:
“A member of Anti Imperialist Action Ireland has covered the front door of the Zionist Embassy in Dublin with red paint during an ongoing protest in defense of Palestine.”
“The activist has been arrested and is currently being held in the grounds of the Zionist Embassy.”
The Gardai confirmed the arrests of two males, stating “Both individuals have since been charged with alleged public order offences.”
“One is due before the courts this morning while the second individual has been released from Garda custody to appear before the courts at a later date.”
