GAA president Jarlath Burns said the anti-Allianz protests that saw Congress adjourned as demonstrators broke into the hall at Croke Park had “crossed a line.”
Delegates were in the process of discussing Motion 15 when a number of protesters entered the hall with some of those approaching the top table and holding a banner behind top GAA officials while others chanted in protest at Allianz and shouted “shame” at those in the room.
Congress was temporarily adjourned with protestors leaving also as delegates filed out.
Burns said a number of security personnel and volunteers had been injured as protestors forced their way into the stadium.
Back in December, the GAA opted to maintain its relationship with Allianz despite calls from a number of county boards to end its association with the insurance group.
A meeting of the GAA’s An Coiste BainistÃochta took place where it heard a report from the Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) on the issue, and it was ultimately decided to accept the recommendation of the EIC.
It came after Allianz, through its German parent company, was among a series of companies listed in a report by UN special rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese.
On the resumption of Congress shortly after 2pm on Saturday, the south Armagh man told delegates that he didn’t need any lessons on illegal occupation having grown up during the Troubles in an area widely impacted.
“I don’t need any lectures about what it’s like to feel the pressure of illegal occupation,” he said.
Motion 15 was being debated when the protest took place
“I don’t need any lectures or people shouting in my face about what it’s like to go to bed at night fearful that somebody would barge into your bedroom and riddle you with bullets because that was my lived experience when I was young.”
Speaking to the media afterwards, Burns expanded: “We’ve always facilitated peaceful protests. We’ve even facilitated it in some fields at half-time in some of our matches this year, even though it’s against our regulations.
“But there are almost unwritten rules of engagement between peaceful protests and the allowance of peaceful protests. And I think that there was a line crossed today; coming into our property and disrupting our Congress is unacceptable.
“We have members of our security team and volunteers injured today as a result of injuries that they sustained from people who were trying to get in past.
“That is totally unacceptable and I would urge people who might have been connected with the GAA, who were involved in that protest, to speak about it and to condemn it, because we have a right to carry out our Congress unfettered.
“We are a democratic organisation. That is a democratically convened gathering every year. That goes through convention and nominates people democratically.
“I would praise the restraint that was shown by our delegates. A lot of them put themselves in harm’s way today to try and keep the protest out and to try and just facilitate it and maintain it.”
Burns said that they would be considering a review of their security arrangements in the wake of the incident.
“I have nothing but praise for our entire security team, people who I see every day when I come in here, and the security that Croke Park has will only keep what they call a decent person out.
“Unfortunately, there weren’t decent people who came in here today and started roaring and shouting and trying to intimidate us into changing a democratically taken decision by the GAA.
“We will review it because we have a duty of care to all of the delegates who come and to all of our staff and to the security team. So of course whenever there is a breach in security we will review our procedures.”
Large crowds had gathered outside Croke Park throughout the day, with the sound of drums and chanting audible in the congress hall as motions were debated.
Burns said that he expected such a protest, but was left shocked when some protesters broke into the stadium.
“We did expect a protest because there was plenty of people advertised it on social media and that, but I honestly didn’t think that they would breach and try and come into Croke Park, a sacred place, and carry out the unedifying scenes and assault our staff.
“I mean, there’s a line that was crossed today and it’s unacceptable,” he added.
All motions were eventually voted on with Burns bringing Congress to a close at 3.40pm.
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