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Derry City and Strabane Council buildings will be lit in Palestinian colours over St Patrick’s Day weekend.

A proposal calling for the move was put forward by People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin at a Full Council Meeting on Wednesday, February 28.

The proposal also called for the endorsement of Derry International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, which this year will be dedicated to Palestinian women under attack in Gaza.

Additionally, Councillors were urged to participate in the call to “join the mobilisation” to the US Consulate on Saturday, March 16, to highlight what was described as the “complicity of Joe Biden’s Administration with Israeli Apartheid”.

October 2023, fans display solidarity with people of Gaza and Palestine at Derry City's game against Shelbourne at the Brandywell. Photo: George Sweeney

Colr. Harkin said the number of people in Gaza facing starvation was “harrowing”, and that the world was “crying out for an end to the slaughter”.

“I think billions of people now share that anger, grief, and despair. It’s very frustrating to hear Joe Biden casually tell us there might be a ceasefire this weekend as he eats an ice cream, while people continue to die in Gaza.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Christopher Jackson said “all eyes are on Ireland” during St Patrick’s Day, which gives Irish people a platform to “speak up against the genocide in Palestine”.

“Any events organised in solidarity with Palestine are welcome,” Councillor Jackson added. “This shouldn’t be an opportunity to use this plight for political point-scoring, and events like this should be welcome to everybody.

Thousands of protesters took part in a recent march and rally, in Derry, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Many of these taking part carried dolls wrapped in a pillowcases to symbolise the thousands of Palestinian children who have been killed. Photo: George Sweeney

“Everybody should be encouraged to attend and use their voice to speak up.”

SDLP Councillor Catherine McDaid agreed that councillors needed to be doing all they could in solidarity with Palestine.

“We need to do what we can and everyone’s welcome to these events,” Colr. McDaid said. “The more feet on the street and the louder we can shout about this, the more impact it hopefully will have.”

“It’s appropriate to light up the buildings during St Patrick’s Day, as it’s a busy time and we’ll have more people asking what it’s about.”

People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin.

Tens of thousands of people in Derry and across the north west of Ireland have taken part in mass rallies and marches in solidarity with the people of Palestine over recent months as the violence in Gaza continues.

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter

Green, white and black and red: Derry buildings to be lit up in colours of Palestine on St Patrick's Day