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

A group protesting Ireland's Nations League soccer match against Israel occupied the Department of Sport offices on Wednesday, demanding the fixture's cancellation. The #StoptheGame campaign entered the department's reception area, seeking to speak with officials before being removed by police less than two hours later.

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we don’t want the Irish team to play Israel anywhere.

Dublin city councillor Ciaran Perry, associated with the campaign, described the response to the protest as "absolutely disgraceful" and "totally unnecessary." He warned that actions would escalate until the match is called off. The group plans to announce further steps at a press conference and launch a website to detail their strategy against the government and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).

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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.

The FAI has already moved the away fixture against Israel to Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27th, and the home fixture from Dublin to Bačka Topola, Serbia, on October 4th. However, campaign spokesperson Shane Moore stated that relocation is insufficient. "We don’t want the Irish team to play Israel anywhere," Moore declared, adding, "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.”

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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 of Sport issued a statement explaining that police were called "in accordance with normal protocols." It emphasized the autonomy of National Governing Bodies like the FAI, which are responsible for organizing sporting events independently. The department and the government, it clarified, have no role in fixture organization. Moore countered this by asserting that "football not being political, that’s absolutely in no way correct. It’s very much political," drawing parallels to Russia's exclusion from international sports.

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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.