New Year's Eve vigil in support of Palestine

A New Year's Eve vigil in support of Palestine will take place in Athlone on Wednesday.

The Athlone Palestinian Solidarity Campaign will be host their annual New Year’s Eve vigil at 3pm at the Republican monument in Custume Place, Athlone.

This vigil is part of a national annual protest by the Irish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign. It was initially established to mark the anniversary of 'Operation Cast Lead' in 2008, when Israel began airstrikes on Gaza followed by a ground invasion. The attacks which left over 1,000 Palestinians dead, pales in significance to the ongoing death toll in Gaza.

Palestine solidarity activists in Athlone have been holding a New Year’s Eve vigil every year since 2020, and they have increased in size due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

A spokesperson for the Athlone group said: “We are calling on people to gather at 3pm on Wednesday, December 31, at the Republican Monument, Custume Place to attend our annual New Year’s Eve vigil for the people of Palestine, especially those besieged in Gaza - to remind people that despite the attempts to portray otherwise.

"There is NO ceasefire in Gaza - hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israel, and thousands by hunger, exposure and lack of medical facilities since the so-called ceasefire began.”