Carlow Councillor calls on action from Tánaiste after detention of TD and activists in Egypt

In a social media post Deputy Murphy said “We have had our passports confiscated and are being detained. It seems Egyptian authorities have decided to crack down on the Great March To Gaza.”

He said those being detained are being asked to board a bus and believe they are going to be deported but added: “We are refusing to board the deportation bus.”

Mr Murphy has said that several other Irish citizens are among those who have been stopped.

In a video, he said: “Its looking worrying that the Egyptian authorities are going to act to prevent our peaceful march to Gaza, to demand that Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid – of food, of water, of medical supplies – is ended."

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Carlow Councillor Adrienne Wallace is urging people to contact their local TDs to demand action and the release of those being detained “I’m asking people to redouble their efforts, to get on to your own Government – in Ireland’s case get on to Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris, your local government TDs and ask them to pressurise the Egyptian regime to allow those to engage in our peaceful march."

She added: “The world has watched a horrific genocide for the past 20 months. This is a peaceful march to demand that western governments stop their complicity.”

Cllr Wallace has also tabled a motion for Monday's council meeting to demand the Government ban the sale of Israeli War Bonds, this is despite local government TDs voting against introducing this measure in the Dáil recently. She added "We need pressure from below to hold the TDs we have entrusted to act. We cannot continue to sit on the sidelines while Israel commits these atrocities"