SOME OF IRELAND’S most talented street artists have come together to create a huge graffiti mural in Stradbally ahead of this weekend’s Elecrtic Picnic festival.

Organised by Amnesty Ireland, the artwork aims to show solidarity with women protesters in Egypt and to highlight their continuing struggles in the conflict.

“Scenes of violence and bloodshed in Egypt have rightly horrified the world in recent weeks,” said executive director Colm O’Gorman, explaining that Amnesty is using its presence at this year’s event to outline the need for the country to heighten its efforts to stop brutal sexual assaults on women demonstrators.

“On the streets, women protesters have faced sexual violence from the army and security forces and more recently from unidentified groups of men,” continued O’Gorman. “This violence against women has passed virtually unnoticed and unchallenged by anyone in power.”

Since the 2011 revolution in Egypt, artists have used graffiti to call for freedom, human rights and equality on the streets of Cairo, Alexandria and other major Egyptian cities. Artists in Stradbally have taken inspiration from these works to create the mural in Mindfield.

Attacks on women

According to Amnesty, 170 female protesters were sexually assaulted in the four-day period between 30 June and 3 July this year.

The group has collected testimonies from survivors who describe the pattern of attacks, where large groups of men surround women before tearing at their clothes and veils, unzipping trousers and groping breasts and other parts of their bodies.

Sticks, blades and other weapons have also been used. Some women have been raped. Earlier this year, the Upper House Parliemant said women brought the attacks on themselves by attending protests.

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