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The Stop the Game group said it was 'done in solidarity with Gavin Bazunu and the people of Palestine facing genocide' Ryan Byrne/INPHO
The Daily Poll
What do you think about the tennis ball protest at the Ireland-Austria game?
A number of tennis balls wrapped in stickers displaying the Palestinian flag and ‘#StopTheGame’ were launched onto the pitch just before the 20th minute.
THE NATIONS LEAGUE match between the Republic of Ireland and Austria on Thursday was interrupted twice by a protest, with tennis balls thrown on the field of play and a pitch invader.
A number of tennis balls wrapped in stickers displaying the Palestinian flag and “#StopTheGame” were launched onto the Aviva Stadium pitch just before the 20th minute.
🇮🇪 1-0 🇦🇹
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 1, 2026
A short stoppage to play as a few tennis balls are thrown onto the field in protest at Ireland fulfilling fixtures against Israel #rtesport
📺Watch live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player pic.twitter.com/Bwm8U9IYDj
It comes amid ongoing fallout over Ireland’s controversial Nations League games against Israel. Players voted last Saturday to fulfil the first of two fixtures against Israel, with the second match scheduled to take place on Sunday.
In a statement, the Stop the Game group said: “Supporters associated with the #StopTheGame campaign took part in a limited tennis ball protest in what we are calling the ‘1948 Protest’ – a symbolic act of solidarity with the Palestinian people and a reminder that the Nakba of 1948 began a process of dispossession, violence and genocide that continues in Gaza today.”
It added that the protest was “deliberately limited, but necessary and done in solidarity with Gavin Bazunu and the people of Palestine facing genocide”.
So, we want to know your thoughts.
Tell us: Do you support the protest at last night’s Ireland-Austria game?
Poll Results:
I support this protest (519)
No, I don't support this protest (495)
I support the protestors' right to protest and their cause, but didn't agree with throwing tennis balls on the pitch last night (458)
No opinion (39)
I'm not sure (23)
Need more information on what is happening in Israel and Palestine? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to navigating the news online.
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