Another week, another Gaza protest in Cork City

national | anti-war / imperialism | news report Saturday January 17, 2009 18:48 by Miriam

A visit to Marks & Spencers included. Arthur Leahy arrested and later released.

An atlantic storm came rolling in from the south west today with high winds and lashing rain - not the best weather for an outdoor protest. Undaunted several hundred people turned up at Daunt Square (!) for the third week running. Umbrellas were turned inside out and banners blown about - at one point the large Palestinian Flag at the front of the protest march down Patrick Street was ripped from one of its poles by a gust of wind. Everybody was saturated but the crowd was determined despite the weather: during the week one of the Palestinian organisers had lost his brother and his brother's entire family - 6 children and wife - all gone. The grief on his face was enough motivation for 10K protestors.

A Jewsih couple from the Yemen gave an talk about the political situation in Israel.

It was a very spirited protest - this time focused on persuading shopkeepers to stop selling Israeli goods. We made our way to the Merchant's Quay shopping centre where we sang out slogans in front of the entrance for a while. A few of us went with leaflets into the mall to hand out to customers. In Marks & Spencers they weren't having any of it and we were ushered out of the shop by managers and security guards - accused of 'intmidating cutomers', though in fact we were being polite to people. Staff there said they were more worried about their jobs than what was happening in Gaza. 'Why don't you go and stand in front of the tanks in Gaza', one of them suggested. (?)

Back outside in the street, hearing that we were being shunned from shops, it was decided to take the march right into the mall and up to the door of M&S. Security guards stood across the entrance to the shop but they were unable to stop us and the whole march made its way right through the shop exhorting people not to buy Israeli goods and chanting 'Boycott Israel'. It was quite a sight - many of the shoppers were clearly surprised - some looked thoughtful - others annoyed.

We then made our way to Tescos in the Paul Street shopping centre. By now the police had been alerted and about eight of them rushed in front of the march just as we were beginning to enter the centre, and they managed to stop most of us from getting in - but a few succeeded. The woman in 'The Candle Shop' in Paul Street shopping centre said that jobs here in Ireland were more important than what was happening to Palestinians in Gaza. She pointed to one of the demonstrators and said 'I see you've got a Shell to Sea logo on the back of your t-shirt - you've got no credibility here because of that'. To which he replied, 'Hey, I buy loads of candles in this shop. Not anymore!' A Garda intervened at that point suggesting to the woman that she should be quiet - and moved the protestors on.

There was no fighting or scuffling. Even so, the mild mannered Arthur Leahy was arrested and taken to The Bridewell police station for refusing to leave Tesco's when asked. We then marched to the Bridewell in solidarity with Arthur and the police said he would be released without charge and so the march dispersed peacefully.