Around 10,000 people are taking part in a march in support of Palestine on the streets of Dublin.
The National March for Palestine, organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, began at Parnell Square this afternoon and made its way to Leinster House for a rally outside the Dáil.
Groups representing trade unions, political parties as well as churches took part, carrying banners to show their group’s support for the cause.
Members of trade unions, political parties and Christian churches are marching in Dublin
A group from GAA Palestine also took part in the march after the club made a call for those who are in Dublin for the All-Ireland hurling final tomorrow to show their support.
The marchers have been chanting “Ban all Trade with Israel” and “Genocide Bonds No More” which refers to their call for the Central Bank to stop facilitating the sale of Israeli government bonds.
A stage had been set up outside Buswells Hotel on Molesworth Street, across the road from Leinster House.
Protesters made their way from Parnell Square towards Leinster House
The organisers of today’s National March for Palestine described the turn out for the event as “off the scale” and said they believe it “could be up to 100,000”.
They said it took more than 15 minutes for the march to pass one point at Cuffe Street on its way to Leinster House.
The organisers said the purpose of the march was to “protest the Irish Government’s absolute refusal to hold Israel accountable for a genocide in which the apartheid state has slaughtered more than 58,000 Palestinians”.
They said the march called for an end to the “Central Bank of Ireland’s role in funding the genocide” and called on the Government to pass the full Occupied Territories Bill including goods and services.
Protesters also sought an end to the use of Irish airspace for transporting weapons, and for the Irish Government to enact sanctions to hold Israel accountable.
Protestors have called for the Central Bank to stop facilitating the sale of Israeli government bonds
Dunnes Stores striker Mary Manning also spoke at the rally, 41 years to the day after she refused to handle the sale of grapefruit from South Africa, in protest against the country’s apartheid regime.
Two survivors of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, Marah Nijim and Mohamed Migdad, were also due to speak as well as Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, Director of the Irish Traveller Movement Bernard Joyce and Conor O’Neill of the Pass the Occupied Territories Bill Campaign.