Five people are facing charges arising from direct actions in support of Palestine taken last year at Collins Aerospace in Cork and at Shannon airport last year.
Collins Aerospace is owned by RTX (formerly Raytheon), which supplies military equipment to Israel. Shannon Airport is used by the US military and there is compelling evidence that weapons carried by the US and bound for Israel pass through Shannon Airport.
People Before Profit members Kellie McConnell and Badhbh Ní Chathasaigh are among those that have been charged with participation in Palestine Action Éire actions in Cork and Shannon that aimed to disrupt activities linked to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
No one was put at risk during their actions at Collins Aerospace or Shannon Airport, and the participants sought solely to disrupt activities with links to Israel’s genocide.
Deputy Murphy said:
“People Before Profit members are among those that have taken part in actions to disrupt genocide and now face criminal charges as a result.
“Kellie McConnell and Badhbh Ní Chathasaigh sought only to disrupt activities in Cork and Shannon that have links to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. They presented no threat to anyone during their actions.
“Since last year they have had punitive bail conditions imposed that require frequent court appearances that mean they must regularly take time off work to attend court.
“We are all obligated to do what we can to prevent a genocide, and Kellie and Badhbh, and others that have taken action, should not face punitive action and punishment by the state as a consequence. The state should end its punitive actions and the charges against Palestine solidarity activists seeking to disrupt genocide should be dropped.
“A similar pattern is evident north of the border, where five people, including trade unionist Goretti Horgan and activist Nina Pulis, are before the courts in Derry charged under the Public Processions Act 1998 over a vigil and march held in solidarity with Gaza in February 2024. As in Cork and Shannon, the prosecution shows the state's readiness to criminalise peaceful solidarity with Palestine rather than address the arms transfers and militarism being protested against.”