1 week Ago
SEVEN IRISH MEPS from different parties have written to the European Commission seeking that it assess the legality of German authorities threatening two Irish pro-Palestinian protesters with deportation orders. Sinn Féin’s Lynn Boylan, Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh, Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher, Barry Andrews, Barry Cowen and Cynthia Ní Murchú wrote to the Commission today on the issue. Authorities in Germany were reportedly seeking to deport four people, including Irish citizens Roberta Murray (31) and Shane O’Brien (29), despite not having been convicted of a crime.
In their letter the MEPs outline that three EU nationals – two Irish and one Pole – were reportedly ordered to leave Germany over their participation in the protests. that Irish officials were aware of the incident. “Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are both guaranteed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and in the European Convention of Human Rights,” the MEPs write.
The MEPs have asked if the Commission can answer whether it believes the action of German authorities violate separate sections of each of the charters and what actions it will take to ensure that all EU citizens have their rights protected. Each of the four foreign residents face separate allegations which are tied to pro-Palestine protests in Berlin. The only event that ties the four cases together is the allegation that they participated in the late-2024 occupation of a building at the Free University Berlin.
It is further reported that all four are accused, without evidence, of supporting Hamas. Last week, by The Intercept and +972 Magazine said that none of the four are accused of any particular acts of vandalism at the university, but rather the deportation order cites the suspicion that they took part in a coordinated group action. It’s reported that the deportation orders are set to take effect in less than a month, despite none of the four people impacted having been convicted of a crime.
A saw the Irish tricolour alongside other flags carrying Saoirse Don Phalaistin – Irish for ‘Free Palestine’ – while other protesters chanted “Viva Palestina”, meaning long live Palestine..
