Opposition TDs call on ROI footballers to follow Ed Sheeran acts and speak out
They have been encouraged to speak up ahead of the upcoming Nations League fixture with Israel, after Ed Sheeran’s supporting acts left his tour.
Opposition TDs have praised the courage of Ed Sheeran’s supporting acts for dropping out of the remaining Loop tour dates, calling on Irish footballers to take a similar stand.
The Republic of Ireland are set to play a Nations League fixture with Israel on October 4 in Serbia. The game is to be played behind closed doors amid the prospect of major protests and calls for a boycott.
Speaking outside Leinster House, as the Dáil returned from the summer recess, People Before Profit TD, Ruth Coppinger, said that the Irish players should show solidarity with Palestine and take a stand against Israel’s ongoing military operations in the Middle East.
“I hope the Irish players look at this, see the massive support in Irish society and internationally,” she said.
“Those small acts of solidarity, which are extremely brave, have an impact already. The whole world is now looking at Palestine.
“The next week, it is really decision time for the players, and the whole country will get behind you, like they’ve gotten behind these artists, who are paying a price, but also are gaining a huge following.”
Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly shared similar thoughts, putting the onus on the FAI to make a decision for the players.
She said: “There’s a very important lesson for the FAI actually, if they’re willing to listen.
“There’s a lesson for the FAI to listen to what it is that that that people want. They want to stand against genocide. They want to stand on the side of the oppressed people of Palestine.”
Irish singer Aaron Rowe, US musician Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother, Danish singer Lukas Graham and Sheeran’s tour band Beoga all posted on social media that they had withdrawn from his tour, after Macklemore was removed from the shows over comments he made about Gaza.
People Before Profit leader, Richard Boyd Barrett, said that he will use the Dáil’s resumption today to pay tribute to the artists.
“They have taken a really extraordinarily principled and brave stand against the genocide and for the right of people to speak up freely against the genocide that has been committed against the Palestinian people,” he said.
“They are going to pay a price for it. But they’ve taken a brave and principled stand, and they deserve great credit.
“You compare that to our government that refused, for example, to support the campaign to stop the game to boycott Ireland’s football match with Israel.
“We’d like to see the Irish government show the same backbone and principle, and have the same courage and selflessness.”
After the fallout from Macklemore’s tour removal, Ed Sheeran wrote in a statement, “I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
“The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.”
Labour TD Ged Nash criticised the singer’s statement, and said his decision was commercially minded, rather than moral.
“I’m not overly familiar with his music, but I certainly saw coverage of the statement yesterday,” he said.
“I was extremely disappointed. This is a matter of conscience, and it would seem to me, without knowing all of the details on the face of it, it seems that maybe a commercial decision was taken by Ed Sheeran to continue his tour.”