The UEFA Nations League match between Ireland and Austria on Thursday in Dublin was interrupted twice due to pro-Palestinian protests. In the nineteenth minute, spectators threw tennis balls covered with Palestinian flag stickers onto the field, causing the game to stop for several minutes.
Protests and Reactions
Players briefly left the field and after a few minutes, the game resumed. In the thirty-fifth minute, a man ran onto the field holding a Palestinian flag, which once again halted the game. Heimir Hallgrimsson, the Icelandic head coach of Ireland, commented: "You are never happy about this kind of protest, but you understand and respect it."
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These incidents occurred following the controversy of the match on Sunday between Ireland and Israel. After lengthy discussions about boycotting this game due to the war in Gaza, the Irish players decided to participate, which ultimately took place in Hungary in a nearly empty stadium. The Irish players wore black armbands during this match, and the captains of both teams did not shake hands or exchange flags before the game started.
Gathering of Protesters
Before this match, about 200 protesters gathered outside the Dublin Arena as part of the "Stop the Game" campaign. Joan Doyle, a 56-year-old teacher, stated: "I strongly oppose holding these two matches against Israel, as it is essentially sportswashing a genocide. Sports has always been linked to politics, and there have been many instances where people have boycotted events."
Mark Comyn, a 26-year-old engineer, added: "Ireland should not play with genocide. We have already played a match against Israel and rejected the Palestinian line." Ireland, along with Spain and Norway, recognized a Palestinian state in 2024 and has repeatedly criticized Israel for the conflicts in Gaza.
The rescheduling of the return match on Sunday has once again taken place in a neutral venue in Serbia, as the Football Association of Ireland deemed hosting the match in the country too sensitive.
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