Pro-Palestine protesters gather at GAA headquarters over Allianz sponsorship

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in heavy rain outside GAA headquarters on Thursday to oppose the organisation’s decision to continue its sponsorship arrangement with Allianz.

The insurance company’s parent organisation was named in a UN report of global corporations deemed to be involved in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

UN special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese published the report last summer.

In December, the GAA decided to retain Allianz as a sponsor, stating that it could expose the organisation to legal issues and reputational damage if it were to terminate the contract.

It said that Allianz had “no involvement” with the IDF or other entities “involved in the war in Gaza”, and that any such relationship “is with a sibling or cousin company”.

It has been reported this week that GAA players could take part in a protest against Allianz’s sponsorship of the National Leagues, where they do not appear before its signage.

On Thursday, Dubs For Palestine, Irish Sport For Palestine, and Gaels Against Genocide held a protest outside the GAA headquarters at Croke Park.

Around two dozen people gathered in the rain and heard protests would be held at GAA grounds and until “Allianz is out of the GAA”.

Brian Flynn, vice chairman of Ferbane GAA in Co Offaly, addressed the crowd and urged county boards not to fear any “implicit” threat of funding being cut for speaking out.

Offaly was the first county board to call for the end of the relationship with Allianz.

“We need as an organisation to keep the focus on that, I would say to all the clubs and all the organisations that have yet to get into this campaign, keep pushing it,” he told the crowd.

“We need to keep working to make sure we get Allianz out of our organisation.”

He told the crowd that sports companies make other ethical decisions not to proceed with sponsorship deals, citing smoking and alcohol advertisements, and so a similar decision must be made.

He said it was not accurate to say that it was not possible to cut ties with all companies that have financial links with Israel, and that Ms Albanese’s report names Allianz’s parent company among 45 targeted companies.