Irish footballers should “follow the lead” of musicians withdrawing from Ed Sheeran’s US tour amid a controversy over criticism of Israel, a People Before Profit-Solidarity (PBPS) TD has said.
Dublin West TD Ruth Coppinger also said to those players who “toe the line” that “it will be noted”.
Coppinger and PBPS TDs paid tribute to several acts who have pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, including Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, and Irish-American artist Finneas, at Leinster House on Wednesday.
She drew a direct line between what she said were “small acts of solidarity” and a “decision time for the (Irish football) players”, who face off against Israel in nations league matches later this month.
“And I really think if the Irish players, who we have to appeal to at this stage because the FAI and the Government have been ignoring all of the campaigns, that next week it is really decision time for the players – and the whole country will get behind you, like they’ve got behind these artists,” she said.
Coppinger said that Sheehan’s decision to allow rapper Macklemore to be removed from the tour for making pro-Palestinian statements, which has led to the other acts withdrawing, was a “political decision” which has backfired – with the musician now facing being “cancelled”.
“I’d say to the Irish players to look at that as an example, if you try to just toe the line, play within the rules and think you can escape it, it will be noted – and I really would ask them to come out and follow the lead of these artists,” she said.
PBPS leader Richard Boyd-Barrett also paid tribute to the decision, singling out Rowe, who is from his Dún Laoghaire constituency.
Earlier, Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash said the artistic community in Ireland “has been at one on genocide that’s been perpetrated”, saying Sheeran’s position was “extremely disappointing” while also paying tribute to the artists who have withdrawn from the tour.
Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Fingal West Louise O’Reilly said there was a “very important lesson for the FAI” in the withdrawals.
“They’re getting huge support from artists here, from people from the general public. There’s a lesson for the FAI to listen to what it is that people want. They want to stand against genocide. They want to stand on the side of the oppressed people of Palestine,” she said.