EU Hands Off Ulster

A late addition to the placards from Unionists Against NI Protocol (Fb) in the Village area of Belfast: EU – hands off Ulster, beneath an Israeli flag. Previously: How Is Freedom Measured? | There Is No Union Without NI | We Continue The Fight

Also Belfast Agreement Null And Void | Markethill Stands Up | Still Anti-GFA

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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La Solidaridad Invariable

Comandante Che Guevara gazes down on the people of west Belfast and the giant flag erected on Sliabh Dubh. The mural replaces the Battle Of Long Kesh on the International Wall.

“Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez … President of the Republic Of Cuba 11.6.2021. ‘Irish friends and Cubans living in Ireland have placed a Cuban flag on a mountain in the city of Belfast. The flag is 46 by 23 metres, the largest in the world. With the flag [is] the giant slogan and it’s [sic] demand to #UnblockCuba. [This is a] Moving and beautiful gesture from the “solidarious” children of an admirable people, [a] dignified and patriotic gesture of Cubans who are far away. Thank you for your unshakable solidarity …”

(Originally in Spanish: “Amigos irlandeses y cubanos residentes, han colocado en una colina visible desde la ciudad de Belfast, una bandera de Cuba, de 46 por 23 metros, la más grande en el mundo. La acompaña un letrero también gigante, demandando #UnblockCuba. Bello y conmovedor gesto de los solidarios hijos de un pueblo admirable, digno y de patriotas que están lejos. Gracias por la solidaridad invariable.” #LetCubaLive

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Brick

Vermont-based ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry’s announced that it would no longer sell its products in the Occupied Palestinian Territory which it says is subject to an “internationally recognised illegal occupation”. In response, Israel threatened parent company Unilever with “extreme consequences” (Reuters). The Saber Al-Ashkar mural has been modified so that his slingshot contains a carton of B&J’s Cookie Dough.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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An Iodáıl Abú

England play Italy this evening in the final match of Euro “2020” (delayed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic). Bogside residents have hung out the Tricolour … of Italy … over Free Derry Corner to indicate their support; the word “Italy” is included to dispel any potential confusion with the Irish tricolour.

The match begins at 8 BST/IST = 9 CET; England are the bookies’ favourites to win.

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Copyright © 2021 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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#UnblockCuba

Members of Cuba Solidarity Forum Ireland (tw) took to Sliabh Dubh on Friday (along with Gael Force Art) to unfurl what they claim is the largest ever Cuban flag below the hashtag “Unblock Cuba”, which is the name of their current campaign. The event was chosen to coincide with US president Joe Biden’s 8-day trip to the UK and Europe, pressuring him to abstain in the UN motion to end the blockade which will be debated on June 23rd (CodePink).

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Reclaim The City

“Land for people not for profit.” About 900 people have been living in the former Woodstock Hospital – renamed Cissie Gool House – in Cape Town, South Africa, since 2017, in an on-going dispute with the city over housing and redevelopment of the site. In the most recent twist in the long-running tale, the occupants, campaigning under the name “Reclaim The City”, won a court battle to ensure that a survey of the residents must be undertaken by their own attorneys; the survey is ostensibly for the purposes to determine their eligibility for re-housing but the activists say it is a first step to eviction. (See IOL one | two | three | four.) “CMYC [Clonard Monastery Youth Centre web | Fb] supports the city Cape Town and Cissie Gool house”.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Derry Lama

The Dalai Lama’s hero, Children In Crossfire (web) founder Richard Moore, was blinded in 1972 at age 10 by a British Army rubber bullet. As part of the recent episode on Derry for her show Home Sweet Home, Joanna Lumley had a mural painted in his honour in Great James Street, Derry (Derry Journal).

UVArts has drone shots of the mural on its YouTube channel.

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Copyright © 2021 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Irexit

When it was launched in September 2018 (Irish Times), the Irish Freedom Party (web | tw) found some support in at least one north Belfast stencilist. But murals and graffiti that don’t meet with universal approval draw public replies: “Irexit … is a shite ideology perpetuated by fascists. My 32 counties doesn’t do racism. No pasaran!”

Some previous debates: Multiculturalism Is Genocide | We Won’t Have Carson | A Dialogue On The Nature Of Art

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07827 X05995 Limestone Road, Belfast.

Lady Shani

Lady Shani is a masked Mexican wrestler, fighting for AAA (“triple-A”) promoters, and two-time Reina De Reinas in 2017 and 2018. In August 2018, she defeated long-time rival Faby Apache, who had to shave off her hair as a forfeit. Some lucha libre bouts have continued (without live audiences) during the coronavirus epidemic – here is Lady Shani fighting La Hiedra – but many fighters (according to the LA Times) are struggling to get by.

“Tu dieta no es solo lo que te comes…. Es lo que ves, lo que escuchas, lo que lees, la gente con la que te rodeas y las cosas con las que alimentas tu mente y tu alma. Ten mucho cuidado con las cosas que le das a tu cuerpo, emocional, espiritual y fisicamente”
[Your diet is not just what you eat … It’s what you see, what you hear, what you read, the people you surround yourself with and the things with which you feed your mind and your soul. Be very careful with the things you give your body, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.]

Previously on Extramural: Free For All – lucha libre on the Lisburn Road.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Political Policing

“Black lives matter”, a campaign against police brutality originating in the US, beneath a 32CSM (web | tw) tarp “Oppose British political policing”. The stencil is sponsored by People Before Profit (web | tw). Divis Street, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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