Amnesty International stage protests at US embassy and Belfast consulate

Amnesty International Ireland volunteers and supporters unfurled banners, and shamrocks at the US embassy in Ballsbridge on Friday as part of the organisation’s drive to use the St Patrick’s Day celebrations to remind US president Biden of international calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

A group of about 20 people and friends staged a colourful protest with yellow amnesty banners and green shamrocks held above their heads as an uilleann piper played.

The Amnesty volunteers also handed in a letter addressed to US ambassador to Ireland Claire D Cronin, calling on her to ask Mr Biden to “listen to your Irish roots and demand a permanent Gaza ceasefire”.

The protest is part of a three-part demonstration being held in Dublin, Belfast and Washington, designed to take advantage of the visit of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, to Washington.

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In Belfast, a simultaneous protest was held at the US Consulate.

On Sunday, St Patrick’s Day, as Mr Varadkar presents the traditional bowl of shamrock to Mr Biden, Amnesty International USA is planning a solidarity vigil which will involve placing hundreds of images of shamrocks in front of the White House.

“We ask President Biden to hear Irish people around the world pleading for an end to the atrocities. Since the horrific attacks of October 7th more than 30,000 Palestinian people have been killed, the majority of them women and children,” said Amnesty International Ireland’s executive director Stephen Bowen. “To allow this travesty to continue is unspeakable.”

In a statement from Washington, Paul O’Brien, Amnesty International’s executive director in the USA, said: “President Biden proudly proclaims Irish ancestry. The Irish Government has steadfastly demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. On St Patrick’s Day president Biden should join the Irish Government and Irish people in unequivocally calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.”

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