Emergency rally for Palestine held at Free Derry Corner

An Emergency Rally for Palestine organised by the Derry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (DIPSC)  has taken place at Free Derry Corner in the city.

Introducing the speakers, Bronagh McMonagle, DIPSC vice chairperson said those attending the Rally were once again “standing in solidarity with the people in Palestine”.

“It has been 16 months of relentless horror. 16 months of us taking to the streets, speaking out, demanding action and yet in Gaza and now the West Bank, the situation remains as dire as ever. Forced starvation, mass displacement and the brutal occupation grinds on,” she said.

Members of ATU, Letterkenny's Palestine Solidarity Society at the Emergency Rally for Palestine.

“It is easy to feel as if nothing has changed but here in Derry and Strabane we have made change. We have held our Council to account, ensuring the words of solidarity translate into real action. 

“Because of the pressure from people like you and thanks to our local councillors, a BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) working group has been established within Council and to date we have held two constructive meetings to push this forward. 

“In the midst of everything, let’s not forget the spirit of the Palestinian people. Despite everything, they refuse to be broken. They resist and not just with arms, but with their culture, their love for their land and their people. Their resilience is a lesson to us all. 

Emergency Rally for Palestine at Free Derry Corner - @DerryNow digital report thread.

Speaking on Wednesday evening, Bronagh McMonagle (@ipsc_derry co-chair) said Derry was standing again in solidarity with the people in Palestine.

"It has been 16 months of relentless horror.… pic.twitter.com/gR3KNjktcj

— Catherine McGinty (@CathMcGin_Tea) March 6, 2025

“I also want to thank you the people of Derry. Over and over again, you have shown up. You have refused to be silenced. We have proven that this city stands firmly on the side of justice,” said Ms McMonagle. 

Ms McMonagle said she had been accused of being “obsessed” and told she was “crazy for continuing to fight for Palestine”. 

“I have also been told to move on. But, let’s be clear, there is nothing crazy about standing against genocide and there is nothing radical about demanding basic human rights. The real insanity is the world watching this unfold and doing absolutely nothing.

“So, Let’s keep going. Keep pushing. Keep making those in power uncomfortable because history will remember which side we stood on,” she added

Derry City and Strabane District councillor Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit) said there was supposed to be a ceasefire in Gaza but it was not really a ceasefire.

Drummers at the Energency Rally for Palestine.

“There is a breathing space for people in Gaza,” he said, “but we see now the Israeli State has decided it is shutting down access to all humanitarian aid. It has begun the bombing again of Gaza and it is threatening to open the gates to hell on the people of Gaza once again if it doesn’t get its way. 

“And it has been emboldened by the new tyrant in the White House, Donald Trump, who has told us that the United States will take over Gaza, drive out the population of 2.3 million people and build a playground for the rich, basically build a playground for Israel to dominate and take over. It is absolutely disgusting and that is why we are out here tonight.

“While we have been talking about the ceasefire or so-called ceasefire in Gaza, we know that Israel has ratcheted up the war on the West Bank. It has ratcheted up murders. It has ratcheted up invasions. It is ratcheted up ethnic cleansing and violent settlers have again been emboldened to attack Palestinians. 

“We are expecting that Trump will endorse the full annexation of the West Bank. And we have to stand against this. We have to say no to it and we have to do whatever we can to stand in solidarity with Palestine, no matter what is happening there,” said Cllr Harkin.

Culmore SDLP councillor, Catherine McDaid, thanked the Rally organisers and everyone present.

She added: “The whole world is a very scary place at the moment. We have racist thugs attacking our neighbours and our friends locally. There is a misogynistic criminal in the White House and there are racist protests being planned in our city.

“But this is nothing compared to the constant fear the people in Palestine have been feeling for the past year and a half.

“A ceasefire is supposed to be in place but Palestine is still under attack. The Palestinian people were beginning to feel a bit of hope but Netenyahu and Trump had a different idea. They have made their intentions clear. They are going to continue this genocide by closing the borders of Gaza, starving its people and resuming the daily drone strikes targeting and murdering innocent women, children and men in the West Bank for nothing but selfish reasons. This is ethnic cleansing. 

“All of this is being funded and supported by Donald Trump and his corrupt administration,” said Cllr McDaid.

Referring to Donal Trump's recently shared  AI version of Trump Gaza, Cllr McDaid said it was "sick and depraved".

"This shows what his intentions are," she said. “Palestine is now in even more danger than it was before this so-called ceasefire. The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) are  continuing to block the aid, and bomb cities and villages, while the world looks away because it thinks Palestine is getting a break,” she said.

"We cannot and must not stay silent while these war crimes continue to unfold before us. 

"Derry has always led the way in the fight for justice and peace and now we need to stand up for Palestine. 

"Keep shouting. Keep boycotting . Keep holding us elected reps to account and keep demanding an end to this genocide. Free Palestine,” said Cllr McDaid.

Energency Rally for Palestine at Free Derry Corner.

Adam McGinley representing BDS Strabane said that since Sunday, Israel again publicly stated its commitment to stop all humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“Israel has declared the resumption of its policy of collective punishment and forced starvation on the population of Gaza, which is a population that we are estimating now is somewhere around two million,” he said.

“Since the announcement of the ceasefire on January 19, Israel has committed at least 350 violations and has killed approximately 132 Palestinians. It has shown the world there is no agreement that it and its backers, the US, won’t break.

“The past 42 days have seen a small amount of relief for families in Gaza. This has  rightly been celebrated across the international community.

“However, at the same time that we’ve seen a normalisation of the existing violence from many in the media, with escalating violence in the West Bank and continued killing in Gaza. There is an attempt to normalise this in mainstream media circles. This isn’t normal. Ethnic cleansing and genocide are not normal .

“In the past week, five Palestinian newborn babies have died from extreme cold amid continued Israeli delays in allowing the entrance of the temporary accommodation and tents to displaced families. Those new born babies were all between one day and two weeks old and all died because of Israel’s failure to allow the agreed temporary accommodation in and to provide basic, life-sustaining necessities to Palestinian families,” said Mr McGinley, who welcomed the inclusion of Strabane BDS on Derry City and Strabane District Council’s BDS working group.