Sinn Féin to protest Trump's visit to Ireland

Sinn Féin to protest Trump's visit to Ireland

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said her party will join protests against Donald Trump's visit to Ireland because of the "genocide in Palestine, events in Gaza and on the West Bank"

Trump is due to meet Irish president Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin before heading to his golf course in Doonbeg, County Clare, where he will attend the Amgen Irish Open golf tournament.

Thousands are expected to take part in protests against the visit, with opposition politicians arguing the Irish government should not be rolling out the "red carpet".

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was "correct" that protests would take place and said her party would be among those demonstrating.

"I'm not surprised that there will be protests at this visit," she told media at her party's annual think-in.

"I think that is quite correct given the scale of the breaches of international law, given the genocide in Palestine, events in Gaza and on the West Bank, we are seeing settler violence at a rate that is literally unspeakable.

"The United States, and I say this with deep, deep regret and some anger, facilitates that, facilitates Israel in its onslaught against the Palestinian people.

"So quite correctly there will be a protest against some of that. I would be deeply shocked if there weren't and, yes, Sinn Féin will be there."

McDonald also urged the Irish president, who was a strong voice in speaking out against the US before she was elected as president last year, to raise Gaza during her brief meeting with Trump at Áras an Uachtaráin (Residence of the President).

"I would imagine and I would hope that given the opportunity, that she would raise the matter particularly in regards to Palestine and the United States ongoing facilitation and arming of Israel," McDonald said.

"I think given the opportunity I would hope that the President would raise that and I am saying that cognoscente of the fact that it will be a short encounter."

McDonald also said the taoiseach, who has a bilateral meeting with Trump, should "set out" the views of the Irish people on Gaza.

Ireland is one of the most pro-Palestinian countries in the European Union.

"The taoiseach will have every opportunity again to set out the views and the position to set out the views and the position of the Irish State and the Irish people and I believe he must do so very, very clearly and very firmly," McDonald said.