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Protesters hold Israel boycott 'die-ins' at several Dublin stores

The group hit Tesco, M & S, and Smyths.

A GROUP OF 15 to 20 protesters conducted “die-ins” at several stores in and around the Jervis Centre in Dublin city centre this evening.

The group, which is organised through the Act for Palestine Facebook page, carried Palestinian flags and banners calling for a boycott of Israeli goods and held demonstrations at Marks and Spencer on Mary Street.

From there, they moved to Smyths Toys on Jervis Street, before entering the Jervis Centre, holding a “die-in” protest on the second floor.

Their demonstration at Smyths comes a day after the company ordered staff at the Jervis Street branch to remove a sign from the door which stated that Israeli products had been taken off the shelves.

IMG_0094 Protestors hold a die-in at the Jervis Shopping Centre in Dublin TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

The demonstrators then continued downstairs to Tesco in the Jervis Centre, where they collected a number of goods, purportedly Israeli, and piled them on the floor next to the entrance of the store.

Gardaí and security guards kept a close watch over the protests, but there were no disturbances and no arrests were made.

Bernie Hughes, a protester from Finglas in North Dublin, told TheJournal.ie that demonstrations like this afternoon’s would be become regular events.

This will be happening on an ongoing basis – I personally will be escalating this.

bernie-hughes-mark-stedman Bernie Hughes protests inside Marks and Spencer on Mary Street in Dublin Mark Stedman Mark Stedman

She drew comparisons between the ongoing campaign to boycott Israeli goods, with the actions of Dunnes Stores workers against South African apartheid in the 1980s.

Even though it took a long time, it did work – it was effective.

Although today’s “die-ins” were led by a relatively small group, some shoppers at Tesco in the Jervis Centre appeared to be sympathetic to their cause.

Andy from Dublin told TheJournal.ie that after seeing the die-in next to the store’s entrance, he had made a point of checking which products on display were made in Israel.

I think it would be a positive move for a company to stop stocking Israeli goods, and if one of them announced they were doing it, I would definitely make a point of shopping there.

90351272 A protester takes part in a die-in outside Smyths on Jervis Street in Dublin Photocall Ireland Photocall Ireland

Anna from Waterford, meanwhile, said she would be consciously looking at the country of origin on her products. Holding up a bag of limes from Mexico, she said she was particularly cautious while shopping for avocados, herbs and potatoes.

Management at Smyths, Marks and Spencer and Tesco refused to comment on today’s protests, and spokespersons for all three companies were unavailable for comment this evening.

Read: ‘I just don’t agree with what’s happening’ – Gordon D’Arcy’s support for Gaza>

Thousands turn up at demonstrations around Ireland for Gaza>

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352 Comments
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    Mute Vannin
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:51 PM

    It’s great news at last, it’s the small businesses that suffer the most and it’s about time the small companies get the help they need, it’s they afterall that form the communities and hold together society, not some multinational that will bugger off when it suits them or when the “deal” is up.

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    Mute Aasif
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:31 PM

    Great news more small businesses getting loans grown their companies then taking on 2 job bridge slaves to work for them.

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    Mute Vannin
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:54 PM

    Not a fan of jobsbridge but at least there should be a chance of a business for them to go to, which I’m sure in anyones eyes is a good thing.

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    Mute Aasif
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:04 PM

    I’d rather sh_te in my hands and clap for eight hours than be a slave for a profitable company big or small.

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    Mute Paul Carey
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:58 PM

    So enlighten us as to what benefit you personally bring to society?

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    Mute Charles McDonald
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

    The benifits class is alive and well in Eire

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    Mute Sean O' Shaughnessy
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 9:08 PM

    My god what an irrelevant person

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

    Ged Nash will not be elected again I believe, that is what I seem to hear from the Drogheda direction…

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    Mute Darren Norris
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 10:37 PM

    He won’t be

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    Mute John Ward
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 9:17 PM

    Ned Gash is junketing off to Sweden for St Patrick’s Day.
    I sincerely hope that there are some good and caring Irish people in America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia etc. who are well aware of what’s going on at home and will come out and demonstrate wherever these wasters show up! Tell your family members and friends abroad, who have been forced to  emigrate by the actions of this so called government, to let these miserable ministers  know how they feel at the St Patrick’s Day parades around the world.

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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Feb 24th 2015, 12:50 AM

    Keep Calm & Crowd Fund….

    I’ve seen it all now

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:56 PM

    I wish you would shit in your hands. I’ve had two jobsbridge candidates who are still employed. Attitudes like your are the reason hard working folk resent social welfare.

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:39 PM

    Assif. Get a job.

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:23 PM

    Assif, do you need a hug?

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:00 PM

    Assif you tool.

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