A 25-mile march for Gaza, held over the weekend, has been hailed as a “powerful symbol of solidarity” with the suffering Palestinian people.
The Great March for Gaza began in Lurgan and concluded in Omeath on Saturday afternoon.
Thousands attended the event, which was a call for justice and humanitarian action.
Sinn Féin councillor Cathal King paid tribute to the organisers for “their incredible efforts in bringing this together, and to all those who lined the route to show their support.”
“As the march arrived in Newry City, the scenes of support and unity outside the Town Hall were nothing short of inspirational,” he said.
The Sinn Féin elected representative, who has himself spent time in Palestine, commented on the current situation in Gaza:
“There is simply no limit to the cruelty Israel inflicts on the people of Gaza. Not content with perpetrating 19 months of genocide, massacring tens of thousands of Palestinians – mostly children, women and the elderly – Israel imposes a blockade of Gaza. The supply of food and vital humanitarian aid has been cut off to a people hanging on for dear life.
“The children of Gaza are being starved, exposed to disease, and left to perish. And we’ve seen those poor, frightened children on our screens – skin and bone. Their sunken faces and wide eyes look out into the world to ask this simple question: Who will help us? Who will stop this?
“This is starvation forced upon an impoverished, refugee population with nowhere to go and no way out. This is the weaponisation of starvation against children, the sick and the elderly.
“The genocidal Israeli regime is sending a murderous message to the Palestinians – if the airstrikes don’t get you, if the IDF death squads don’t get you, if rampant disease doesn’t get you, then starvation will.”
Sinn Féin representatives, Cllr Aidan Mathers, Cllr Cathal King, Cllr Geraldine Kearns, Dáire Hughes MP and Cllr Valerie Harte.
Concluding, Councillor King said: “Israel’s war machine has some of the most sophisticated weaponry in the world, but the greatest weapon in its arsenal is the impunity gifted to it by the international community.
“That mealy-mouthed pattern of condemnation, but no more – deploring, but ultimately standing back and doing nothing.
“We stand with the vast majority of the people of Newry who call for an immediate end to the genocide in Gaza and urge world leaders to take swift action to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access.”
Meanwhile, TUV councillor Keith Ratcliffe says the Parades Commission has failed the people of Scarva following what he described as “entirely predictable and avoidable” public disorder.
Four anti-protestors were arrested following what police described as “minor disorder associated with a protest held at Main Street in Scarva”.
“As I warned in advance, Saturday’s anti-Israeli parade through Scarva was deeply provocative, entirely unnecessary, and now, sadly, has led to the very outcome many of us feared – disorder on our streets and arrests in our community,” said Councillor Ratcliffe.
“I formally objected to this parade to the Parades Commission and raised serious concerns both in writing and in a telephone call to the police.
“I made it crystal clear to the Parades Commission that Scarva – a quiet, close-knit Unionist village with deep ties of sympathy and support for Israel – was no place for Palestinian flags and associated political messaging on a Saturday morning.
“And yet, the parade was allowed to proceed unchecked – no conditions, no restrictions, and no serious engagement with local concerns. The Commission was warned. The PSNI was informed. And now we have witnessed precisely the breakdown in community relations that this parade was always going to cause.
“Scarva is not a canvas for political performance. Residents here should not be subjected to displays that are knowingly inflammatory. People have a right to go about their daily lives without being dragged into conflict they did not ask for and do not support.
“Let me be clear: this situation was entirely avoidable. The blame lies squarely with those who organised this needlessly provocative display, and with the Parades Commission, who failed in their duty to prevent disorder and protect community cohesion.”
