Here is another gallery of teddy-bears and soft-toys wearing “Boycott Israeli genocide” stickers in support of the children of Gaza, this time from the fencing in front of the Royal Victoria Hospital.
See also the soft-toys from the Milltown roundabout junction, former site of the Andersonstown RUC Barracks.
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The UN Security Council last night passed resolution 2712 (UN), calling for extended humanitarian pauses in Israel’s assult on Gaza. The resolution was proposed by Malta, who wrote the resolution to focus on the plight of children. Today’s images show a selection of the teddy bears and other soft toys that have been placed on fences and lamp-posts in CNR west Belfast in memory of the children who have been killed in Gaza. It is estimated that a child dies in Gaza every 10 minutes (Reuters) and that 4,600 children have died so far (UN).
For more on the bears, see Belfast Media.
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“Cogús supports the republican prisoners”. Cogús (Fb) is (was?) the prisoners’ welfare arm of the RNU. The board above — using a vintage illustration going back to 1981’s I’ll Wear No Convict’s Uniform — replaced More Blacks, More Gays, More Irish on Pantridge Road, Dunmurry, joining the “Join RNU” and mental health boards shown below.
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As the shelling of Gaza continues and the death-toll mounts, there are protests on a daily basis. In Belfast, there were rallies supporting Palestine this week in Poleglass (Xitter), Lenadoon (Xitter), Ardoyne (reddit | Xitter) — home of this new mural showing F-16 jets over Gaza — and more to come in the city centre (Friday) and Dunville Park (Saturday). For more upcoming rallies, see Belfast IPSC (Fb) | Derry IPSC (Fb) | IPSC (Fb).
The final image is from the rally at Queen’s University on November 4th, of a protester with a hand-painted “Saoırse Don Phalaıstín” board.
Murals and graffiti so far:
In Belfast: Stop The Slaughter In Gaza | Palestine And Ireland United In Struggle | Stop Israeli Murder In Gaza | Stop Israeli Terror | Israel Get Out Of Palestine | Free Palestine |
In Derry: Free Palestine | Ireland Supports Palestinian Resistance | Victory To Gaza
And also Ulster & Israel.
Balholm Drive, Ardoyne, north Belfast
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“Stop the slaughter – ceasefire now”. A pro-Palestinian board was added to the “International Wall”, Divis Street, and launched on November 4th. The previous Saber Al-Ashkar mural — His Land, His Legs, His Life — has been mostly painted over, with part of the mural remaining at the top and the image of a man carrying a wounded child perhaps deliberately left to the right of the board.
The image represented would appear to be an from social media (probably AI-generated, as no one can say who is depicted or where) of children sitting among their ruined house, surrounded by broken toys, including SpongeBob and Pudsey Bear, with the boy using an incorrect Palestinian flag to cover the girl.
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“Stop Israeli murder in Gaza.” “ma” is presumably a false start on “murder”. This is new graffiti at Camberwell Terrace/Limestone Road.
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This graffiti is on Kennedy Way, in CNR west Belfast, and so “Ireland” includes Northern Ireland.
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“Stand against the legacy legislation – state murder is murder! – bill of shame”
The UK parliament adopted the “Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023” on Septetmber 6th and it became law on the 18th, preventing future inquests and civil cases. Twenty challenges have been lodged against the bill and a hearing is due to begin on November 20th with a primary focus on whether or not the bill is compatible with the European Convention On Human Rights (ITv | BBC). In the meantime – prior to the May 1st, 2024 deadline — the Springhill-Westrock inquest continues on Monday (RFJ).
This mural showing Lady Justice gagged but with a raised fist, by Iliana Edwards (ig), is on a wall outside the offices of Relatives For Justice (web).
Update: February 28, 2024: The High Court has ruled against the Act (BBC).
See previously: a call to a rally in September.
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Caitlin McLaughlin died suddenly on June 24th. She collapsed from a heart attack as she walked to the bus station in Belfast to return home from a music festival at which she had taken ecstasy (BBC). A requiem mass was held in Galliagh on the 28th (BelTel) and the mural shown here was launched in Brookdale Park on October 27th, which would have been Caitlin’s 17 birthday (Belfast Live).
“I saw you all, my family & friends/the day God took me home,/I smiled, I cried, I felt so proud/You didn’t let me go alone//To all my friends, please listen now/To what I have to say,/Please don’t leave your loved ones/the way I did that day//I’m with the angels in heaven now/and with our we[e] Kyle too,/But often I look down and sigh/For I’d rather be there with you//Forget me not/XO”
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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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A march/rally supporting Palestine takes place in Belfast today, starting at noon and going from Writer’s Square to City Hall. The graffiti above is on the Falls Road at the Royal: “Stop the genocide. Stop “Israeli” terror. ‘Fom the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!; BDS [Boycott, divestment, sanctions (web)] IPSC [Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (web | Fb)]”
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Extramural Activity 