Academics for Palestine statement regarding police brutality against students and protestors

3 April 2025

This morning (April 3rd, 2025), a student activist at Dublin City University was arrested for peacefully protesting the Irish government’s lack of action on Palestine, and facilitation of logistical support for genocide through the Irish airspace and Shannon airport. This comes mere days after the shameful spectacle of gardaí violently suppressing a peaceful protest by Mothers Against Genocide and other Palestine solidarity activists at Leinster House—yet another disturbing instance in a growing catalogue of heavy-handed crackdowns against those advocating for Palestinian rights.

The recent violent state actions against peaceful protestors must be seen for precisely what they are: a desperate reaction to the growing calls for accountability from students and civil society in Ireland. This at a time when the Government shamefully retreats from its earlier stance on the Occupied Territories Bill and embraces the deeply problematic IHRA definition of antisemitism within its Programme for Government. Taken together, these incidents illustrate an alarming escalation of unacceptable aggression by An Garda Síochána—so called ‘guardians of the peace’—against protestors whose sole objective is to spotlight and end Ireland’s complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

AfP condemns the actions by AGS against student activists protesting against the silence of their universities in relation to the Gaza Genocide. Equally abhorrent is the arrest and sexual mistreatment of a member of Mothers Against Genocide, who was subjected to the degrading practice of a cavity inspection. Such actions undermine trust in law enforcement and raise serious questions about the treatment of activists exercising their democratic right to peaceful protest.

The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right that must be respected and protected. AfP calls upon Irish universities to take a clear and proactive stance in safeguarding students and staff, ensuring their rights to peaceful protest are upheld under both national and international law. Specifically, we urge the President and authorities of Dublin City University to publicly address the reported mistreatment of one of their students and to take immediate action to support and protect all members of their community.

ENDS