“Free Gaza” in the Ballycolman estate, Strabane. This piece is not from the current conflict (that started with the Hamas attack in October 2023) but from the 2014 war, in which roughly 2,300 Palestinians and 73 Israelis were killed (WP) – numbers that now seem small in comparison.
In Belfast: Stad An Slad/Stop The Slaughter
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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Since taking office, newly-inaugurated US president Donald Trump has proposed buying Greenland, annexing Canada, and taking over the Panama canal.
His latest geo-political raving was made during a visit by Israeli premier Bibi Netanyahu on February 4th, when he suggested that the US occupy Gaza and turn it into the “riviera of the Middle East”(AP); officials including the new Secretary Of State Marco Rubio talked down the “plan”, which involves forcing Egypt and Jordan to take the two million Gazans (AP), but Trump reiterated the threat on February 12th during a visit from Jordan’s King Abdullah (AP).
World leaders – and residents of Derry’s Bogside – have condemned the proposal (AP). The words “am nuts” are written on the paper puppet of Trump; the poster to the right reads “They kill children like me. [with an image of a child] Stop the war. Free Palestine”.
Free Derry Corner has its own Visual History page.
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The “two nations” are Palestine (flag on the left) and Ireland (flag on the right). Between the two is a balaclava’d face, suggesting violent struggle.
Lisfannon Park, Bogside, Derry
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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Thirty-seven Israeli bombs fall on the women and children of Gaza, targeted at “babies”, “doctors”, “families”, “mosques”, “school”, “everyone”.
On the left (below), cartoon character of resistance Handala (WP) carries the Palestinian flag.
Bóthar Chaıtríona, St James’s, west Belfast
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“From the river to the sea Palestine will be free”
“Fáılte chuıg otharlann Al-Shifa – hathaınmníodh R.V.H. i gcuımhne ar na foırne leıghıs agus ar na hothaır ar fad a maraíodh le linn chınedhíothú Iosrael sa Phalaıstín in 2023. R.V.H. renamed in memory of all medical staff and patients murdered during Israel’s genocide in Palestine in 2023.”
al-Shifa hospital is in Gaza City, Gaza. It was closed on April 1st (2024) after the hospital was raided (for a second time) by the IDF (WP).
The placard was mounted by BDS Belfast in March (Fb). The “Occupation no more” sticker on the adjacent pole is from the 1916 Societies (web).
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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The 1916 centenary mural in Andersonstown has been repurposed and repainted to express solidarity with the people of Palestine.
From the frame of the previous mural – see Unbowed, Unbroken – the title, phoenix, and chains have been preserved but two instances of the inverted red triangle have been added at the top and bottom – see Resist! (and My Kite You Made).
The main panel puts the struggles in Palestine and Northern Ireland in parallel, showing (from top to bottom on each side) political prisoners, violence against protesters, and relatives carrying portraits.
On the left, Palestinian prisoners languish in Israeli jails (based on a photo of Hamza Abu Halima and on this Reuters photograph of prisoners sitting in the street, both from December 2023) and IDF soldiers make violent arrests – the one on the left is from 2016 (CCUN) and the one on the right is perhaps based on this Reuters photograph.
On the right: British soldiers restore order after the Burning Of Long Kesh (see Operation Pagoda), next to blanket-man Hugh Rooney, above three arrests made by British Army soldiers – their caps indicates that they are from the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (left) and the Paratroop regiment (centre). (For two of the original photos, see BBC | Getty.)
Along the bottom of both sides, marchers hold portraits of the dead, including the recently-killed leader of Hamas Yahya Sinwar (BBC).
For the mural to the right (in the wide shot) see Stop The Genocide – Save Palestine.
An Neasc Theas, Baıle Mhıc Aındréıs, Béal Feırste thıar (South Link, Andersonstown, west Belfast)
October 13th:
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This IRPWA (web) board in Glen Parade, Andersonstown, is in support of Palestinian political prisoners. Al Jazeera reports that roughly, 9,500 Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank are currently being held, and about 3,600 without charge, under “administrative detention”.
The missing exclamation-mark in the board above suggests that there is a missing third. See We Exist! We Resist! We Rise!
Next to the Saoradh mural with a large Palestinian flag – see From The River To The Sea and Palestinian Solidarity.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Here is a selection of placards from the Village in south Belfast, many on the theme of the fight against Home Rule in 1912 and the creation of Northern Ireland in 1921.
The most interesting is perhaps the small placard sandwiched (in the image below) between the UVF territorial marking (see e.g. Welcome To The Village) and the “warning” to landlords (see Not A Dumping Ground). The quote form Salisbury – “Parliament has a right to govern the people of Ulster; it has no right to sell them into slavery” – comes from a speech made in 1892 (Launceston Examiner) and Spencer was addressing the Lords in 1893 when he said, “We feel like the Americans when the integrity of THEIR country was threatened, and, if necessary, we must shed blood to maintain the strength and salvation of THIS country” (Hansard). Both statements, that is, were made in connection with the second Home Rule bill (of 1893) rather than the third as the “1914” crest of the “South Belfast regiment” of the Ulster Volunteers would suggest.
Below is a reproduction of a stamp featuring Edward Carson, described in the Notre Dame collection. These stamps were sold as a fundraiser; they were not used for postage.
For the “brothers in arms” placard, see Ulster & Israel and below that, Stand Firm.
For the Craig placard, see What We Have We Hold. The final three were seen previously in The Red Hand And The Winning Hand.
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“Solidarity”, “تكافل” (in Arabic) between (Irish) republican prisoners and Palestinians in Israeli jails. Al Jazeera reports that roughly, 9,500 Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank are currently being held, and about 3,600 without charge, under “administrative detention”. Springfield Park, west Belfast.
Below: “Support republican political prisoners” in “Maghaberry – Portlaoise – Hydebank”. IRPWA (web) board in Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast. See also: the same message on Divis Street, west Belfast.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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“Stop the war on Gaza! Pray for peace!” There are doves in the upper corners but the central imagery is of a clenched fist and the background shows a republican volunteer (perhaps from the INLA) comforting a Palestinian.
For the mural that this framed image has been added to, see Clós Ard An Lao.
Clós Ard An Lao/Ardilea Close, in the Bone, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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