Greta Thunberg to speak at Bohemians fundraiser event for Gaza tonight

Ottoline Spearman

Greta Thunberg will be speaking at a Dublin fundraiser event for Gaza on Thursday evening.

The Swedish activist will be joined by Médecins Sans Frontières deputy medical co-ordinator for Palestine, Dr Mohammed Abu Mughessib, who will be in conversation with Irish human rights campaigner Caoimhe Butterly.

Organised by Bohemians FC, the "unique night of conversation and music" will look at the recent flotillas to Gaza and the genocide, as well as a forward-looking conversation about what can be further done in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Musical guests include Róisín El Cherif, Sorcha Richardson and Kevin Corcoran, with more to be announced.

All proceeds from the event will go to Grassroots Winter Aid for families in Gaza, and more than 800 tickets have already been sold for the event.

Tickets for the event are available here.

Ms Thunberg has been seen sporting Bohemians merchandise and was given a limited edition shirt launched earlier this year, the Irish Times reports.

Combining Irish and Palestinian motifs, it features the Palestinian flag and the phrase Saoirse don Phalaistín (Free Palestine). The words “I thought it was love” – a lyric from a Fontaines DC song – are printed around the neck.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Swedish activist visited President Catherine Connolly during a courtesy call at Áras an Uachtaráin, with Kneecap rapper Móglaí Bap leading a 10km run through Phoenix Park in solidarity with Palestine.

Some have criticised President Connolly's reception of Ms Thunberg, after the Swedish activist posted shortly after the Bondi Beach terror attack against the Jewish community, that activists must "mobilise and escalate".

Former Minister for Justice of Ireland Alan Shatter was critical of the meeting in a post on X: "Deeply disturbing that President Connolly reportedly hosted Greta Thunberg who is visiting Ireland to speak at a Daniel Lambert/Irish Sport for Palestine event.

"Irish Sport for Palestine advocates the elimination of the State of Israel & the denaming of Herzog Park.

"In the immediate aftermath of the Bondi Beach massacre Thunberg called for an escalation of the anti Israel campaign & said nothing about those slaughtered & injured on Bondi Beach.

"The lack of sincerity of the President’s condolences & condemnation of the Bondi atrocity is sadly now starkly illustrated. Yet again Ireland’s international reputation is destined to be sullied."