'Away ye go' - Palestinian protestors kicked out of Sinn Fein pro-Palestine meeting after call to boycott USA St Patrick's Day event

A video posted by a left wing group on social media also shows the protestors – who disrupted a speech at the event – calling for Sinn Fein to boycott the White House during the annual St Patrick’s Day event.

One of the protestors can be heard saying “don’t touch me” as organisers attempted to usher them out of the building.

They shouted “you’re throwing out Palestinians, shame on all of you” and “boycott the White House” as they were removed from the meeting to applause from those attending the Sinn Fein-run meeting in Belfast’s Europa hotel.

They were also critical of the Palestinian Authority, calling them a “corrupt dictatorship who have not had an election since 2006”. This was met with boos from the audience.

One of the protestors, apparently from Gaza, shouted “I love Irish people so much” and waved a Palestinian flag as he was removed.

A man who appeared to be involved in organising the event, wearing a sports top with a Palestinian flag on it, said “away ye go” as the Palestinian protestors were led away.

The audience could be heard chanting “free free Palestine” in the background as the Palestinians who opposed Sinn Fein’s US visit were kicked out.

The party is increasingly torn between its traditional expressions of support for Palestine and being seen as a party of government in the Republic and keeping goods relations with the United States, who back Israel’s military action in Gaza. The republican leadership will travel to Washington on St Patrick’s Day this year, despite real unease within the party about doing that during the Israel – Gaza war. Sinn Fein say they will use the meeting to demand “an end to Israel’s war” and promote “Palestinian national freedom”. The SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said his party will boycott the event.

The recent conflict began when Hamas, a proscribed terrorist group in the UK, launched a deadly assault on Israel on 7th October last year. Over 1,300 people were killed and hostages including men, women, children and the elderly were abducted and held in Gaza by Hamas and other Islamist groups.

Israel responded with an aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry says over 27,500 Palestinians have been killed.

In a post on X, formerly twitter, Sinn Fein MLA Declan Kearney said: “We will not hold back from using whatever leverage we have on behalf of our Palestinian sisters & brothers. Whether at home or abroad, all Irish influence must be mobilised on behalf of Palestine. We will ensure the plight of the Palestinian people is heard everywhere.”

The video was posted on social media by a group calling itself Social Rights Ireland, which is a hard left pressure group. It campaigns on issues such as housing, immigration rights and Palestine – claiming that “liberation means breaking the chains of Zionism”.

Sinn Fein have been contacted for comment.