Thousands of Ordinary Folk March for Gaza

Saturday 7 June saw thousands of ordinary people challenging themselves to walk the equivalent of the length of Gaza in a march from Lurgan to Newry and on to Omeath. From men and women with many years on the clock, to babies barely a month old being pushed by their parents, everyone was there to walk in solidarity with those in Gaza who have been forced to leave their homes, while expressing their horror at the ever mounting death toll (currently 55,000) from Israel's current war in Gaza, which began following a massacre in Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023 which saw 1,200 people murdered.

Organised by Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign Lurgan and Newry branches, the groups had applied to the Parades Commission for the march with a suggested 200 participants but many, many more turned out on the day.

The 'Great March for Gaza' stretched 25 miles from Lurgan to Newry, the length of the Gaza Strip and then a further 7 miles on to Omeath. A large core of the  thousands that left Lurgan at 8.30am on Saturday morning walked the entire route, but many others walked a stretch of the route or joined along the way. Participants were accompanied by Community Police officers on bicycles.

All along the route strangers broke into conversation about the war or just random chat, all with the aim of shortening the road. Few had walked such a distance in one day and as the miles progressed so did the pains. Organisers though did include plenty of stops and a chance to massage the feet.

Several protestors stood at the roadside at Bleary and a large number of protestors were moved back by an equally large police presence at Scarva. The protests had not been notified to the Parades Commission and Superintendent Norman Haslett who was in charge of the policing operation said "An evidence-gathering operation was in place and we will now review the footage gathered and consider any potential offences"

Four males were arrested at the Scarva protest during "minor disorder". In Newry a flag "believed to be associated with a prescribed terrorist organisation was removed from a parade participant by police". Newry.ie believes that several march participants were also cautioned on the route for urinating in public.

Protestors may have labelled participants as 'fenian b****' or 'IRA/ Sinn Fein' supporters but this was a march comprising a wide range of people, all with the common thread of being outraged by what is currently happening in Israel with the support of our Governments.

Speaking during the March Marc Mac Seáin, IPSC Newry said "Today we've seen 1000's of people starting a march in Lurgan, heading the whole way down the towpath, basically the length of County Armagh. It's going to be going down even to County Louth to Cooley. I think it's extremely important to call-out the complicity of Western Governments, both north and south, Britain, France, Germany, America, all of these countries essentially are complicit in what is happening - the mass slaughter of infants in Gaza, something we've been seeing over the last 19/20 months. We need to see action.

"I've a banner here about sanctioning Israel. We need to see full sanctions brought in, like were brought against South Africa. I think it's commonly felt across all the people attending this March."

Mac Seáin continued "We need to see sanctions. We need to see an end to the arms trade. We need to see the stopping of United States military, all these warplanes going through Britain and Ireland. The idea that Shannon Airport/ Aldergrove Airport are being used as stop-off points for weapons, bombs being used for genocide, It's actually disgusting. The Irish government last year it was revealed was the second biggest purchaser of Israeli exports - in the billions. This idea that in 2024 when everyone knew they were committing genocide, that Ireland was still doing this billions worth of trade with them, it's disgusting. We need to see a complete isolation of the settler colonial apartheid state, it needs to be just dismantled. We need to see an immediate end to the genocide now. Thanks to everyone who has come out."

When the march reached Newry, many more people were waiting. A rally was held at Newry Town Hall with several speakers, finishing with local singer/ songwriter Matt McGinn performing 'Breaking the Silence' before those with some energy left continued the route to Omeath.