County Derry campaign group stage protest outside newly opened McDonalds

Members of the Dungiven community and Mid Ulster Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (ISPC) have staged a protest outside the new McDonalds in Magherafelt, County Derry.

Speaking to The County Post, a spokesperson for Mid Ulster IPSC said the protest on Friday night was planned to coincide with the opening weekend of McDonalds in the town.

The spokesperson added: "We wanted to demonstrate our commitment to international humanitarian law and to call for our politicians to comply with the order of the International Criminal Court and take action in line with advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. 

Pictured are some of those who staged the protest in Magherafelt.

"This week, the international Criminal court has made it clear that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin Netanyahu [Israel's prime minister] and his former defence minister have committed war crimes. 

"McDonald’s in Israel has shown support for the Israeli military and their campaign led by Netanyahu. This inhumane, genocidal campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 44,000 people, 70% of them women and children according to the UN 

"It is clear that there can be no support, financial, political or military for the Israeli genocidal campaign and unlawful occupation," added the spokesperson, who said that "ending all state, corporate and institutional complicity with Israel’s genocidal regime is more urgent than ever".

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The spokesperson said that "people of conscience" around the world were  "rightfully shattered, enraged, and sometimes feeling powerless about the genocide in Gaza".

They added: "People can make a difference by boycotting products and services of companies that operate in the occupied territories or support the current politicians to comply with the order of the International Criminal Court and take action in line with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.

"It is clear that there can be no support, financial, political or military for the Israeli genocidal campaign and illegal occupation.

"Additionally, we wanted to convey to workers that we stand with them and wish to be an ally to them. The BDS movement  aims to empower workers, and we encourage them, and all local people, to take inspiration from the Dunnes Stores workers whose strike led to the dismantling of the apartheid South African regime.

"At our peaceful protest this evening in Magherafelt, we were joined by people of conscience from across Mid Ulster and we welcomed the women of Dungiven who have been holding a vigil every week for over a year now. 

"As Bernadette McAliskey said recently at a solidarity protest for Palestine: 'If children knew what McDonalds were supporting, they would make the decision not to eat there'. 

"We would ask people to support the BDS movement and do everything they can to bring an end to the genocide.”