Ireland: for St. Patrick's Day, black clovers as a sign of support for Gaza

A color: green.

And a symbol: a shamrock, painted on the cheeks of thousands of visitors to Ireland, who are celebrating Saint Patrick's Day this Sunday, March 17.

It is also an opportunity for the small Republic of Ireland to engage in a diplomacy exercise with the United States, during an annual visit by the Irish Prime Minister to Washington.

However, this year, some Irish people want to derail the celebration, due to the conflict in the Middle East.

To show their support for the Palestinians and denounce American support for Israel, Irish people decided to paint the shamrocks black on the occasion of Saint Patrick's Day, in Dublin, March 17, 2024. © Clémence Pénard/RFI

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With our correspondent in Dublin,

Clémence Pénard

The custom dates from 1952: on St. Patrick's Day, the Irish Prime Minister offers a symbolic bowl of clovers to the American president.

But this year, many Irish people are calling for a boycott of this meeting at the White House.

Read alsoThe war in Gaza disrupts St. Patrick's Day between the American president and the Irish Prime Minister

So, a few hundred meters from the big parade for St. Patrick's Day, a completely different gathering took place this Sunday.

Palestinian flags replaced those of Ireland, and shamrocks were painted black.

Protesters chant: “

No shamrocks for genocidal Joe!”

» Understanding Joe Biden.

They fear genocide – the term is rejected by Israel and its supporters – and for many, the war simply could not continue without Washington's financial support for the Israeli army.

In Ireland, the trauma of British colonization is still raw.

So, identification with the Palestinian cause runs deep here.

Today's demonstrators do not want the American president, who often claims his Irish heritage, to be able to use this tradition of the bowl of shamrocks for electoral purposes in view of the presidential election in November in the United States.

Read alsoIreland once again adorned with shamrocks and green, for St. Patrick's Day 2024

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