‘Five For Palestine’ to hold Magilligan Strand protest

‘Five For Palestine’ activists are taking their campaign for the release of Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouthi to Magilligan Strand in County Derry.

‘Five For Palestine’ co-founder Tommy McKearney, a former H Block prisoner and 1980 Hunger Striker, describes Marwan Barghouti as the “Nelson Mandela of Palestine”. He has been in prison in Israel for the past 23 years.

‘Five For Palestine’ is calling for a global observatory for Palestinians in Israeli prisons; Israeli authorities to be made answerable for crimes against Palestinian prisoners; international human rights organisations to secure protection for Palestinian prisoners; EU and international organisations implement the BDS programme; and movements worldwide support the Palestinian cause and the release of all its prisoners.

On Saturday, January 24, the group is holding a vigil on Magilligan Strand at 1pm to call for the release of Marwan Barghouthi and “all Palestinian prisoners held hostage in Israeli torture dungeons”.

Speaking to The County Derry Post, ‘Five For Palestine’ spokesperson Patricia Campbell, said Saturday’s event was taking place on the 54th anniversary of the anti-internment march on Magilligan Strand (January 22, 1972) attacked by the British Army’s Parachute Regiment. Rubber bullets and baton charges were used to break up that demonstration, with participants receiving severe beatings.

“I think it is very appropriate to raise the issue of Palestinian hostages, prisoners held hostage in Israeli jails,” she said.

“But also, Magilligan is an active training area,” she added, “and to be honest, that is where we should be going because we can march in our cities, and that is all very effective but I think we need to bring it to British bases because as far as we are concerned, they are complicit in this ongoing genocide.

“And, I am sure it would be interesting to know if they're actually training Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers there.

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“Essentially we want to raise awareness about the ‘Free Marwan Barghouthi’ campaign that is being re-ignited. We will be wearing our red ribbons in support of the Palestinian-led campaign calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

“We want to bring the message to the British State that it still occupies this part of our country and it is complicit in this genocide. It is about bringing awareness. As far as we are concerned, being silent about the fact we have a British base in the north east of our country that is still active, especially at this time in our history, is disgraceful,” said Ms Campbell.

Tommy McKearney will be the main speaker at Saturday’s vigil. Other speakers will include Sara Duffy, Derry Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign activist, and Paul McGoldrick, a Fermanagh-based political activist and member of the Peadar O’Donnell Socialist Republican Forum steering committee.