Group protesting Israel vs Ireland soccer match occupies Department of Sport offices

A group protesting Ireland’s Nations League soccer match against Israel in the autumn occupied the the Department of Sport offices on Wednesday before being removed by gardaí.The #StoptheGame group entered the reception of the department and asked to speak with officials before being removed less than two hours later.Dublin city councillor Ciaran Perry, a member of the campaign, said the reaction to the protest was “absolutely disgraceful” and “totally unnecessary”. He said the actions would escalate until the fixture was cancelled. The “next steps” will be highlighted at a press conference on Thursday.A website for the campaign is due to be created to “outline further plans” for action targeting the Government and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). READ MOREThe FAI voted to move the away fixture against Israel to Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27th. Last month it confirmed the relocation of the home fixture against Israel on October 4th from Dublin to Bačka Topola in Serbia.Perry said the relocation was not enough, adding that “we don’t want the Irish team to play Israel anywhere”.Shane Moore, a spokesman for the campaign, said: “Irish taxpayer money should not be supporting these games. We don’t want these games to go ahead. We do not want sportswashing of genocide by any means.” A statement from the Department of Sport said gardaí were requested “in accordance with normal protocols”.“It is important to note that National Governing Bodies of sport, such as the FAI, are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for the governance of their own sports, including the organisation of sporting fixtures, whether in domestic or international competitions.”The department said the Government and Sport Ireland had no role in the organisation of such fixtures.However, Moore said: “When we talk about football not being political, that’s absolutely in no way correct. It’s very much political, and you can see that in the World Cup.”He said Israel, in a similar fashion to the exclusion of Russia from many international sporting organisations, should be dismissed from all sporting bodies.A Garda statement said no arrests were made after a number of individuals who had entered the premises at Leeson Lane were dispersed.“An Garda Síochána facilitates peaceful protest while protecting the rights of individuals to travel freely and commercial organisations to conduct business,” it said. “Any Garda activity in relation to evolving events involves a graduated policing response taking into account relevant legislation and public safety, with enforcement as a last resort.”