Palestine Brought a Hush to Dublin's Bustling Grafton Street on Saturday Afternoon As Demonstrators Carried a Handcrafted Blanket Nearly 60

About 150 members and supporters of Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine and the Craftivism for Palestine group took part in the wordless slow walk. The "Granny Square for Gaza" blanket has drawn worldwide attention, with each of its 3,000 crocheted or knitted squares in Palestinian colours and symbols representing 10 children killed in Israeli attacks since October 7th, 2023. Project coordinator Niamh Bonner said the initiative began in May last year with 1,300 squares but grew so large it now weighs 40kg and represents 30,000 dead children. "We've had to stop at 3,000 because it's got so big, it's hard to move around, Bonner said.

"But my fear is that eventually each square will represent, not 10 children, but 100 or more. The blanket has featured at 70 events across all 32 counties since July last year. Bonner credited the blanket with raising awareness in ways traditional protests may not.

"It's a visual representation that helps to explain how big the number of child deaths is, she said. "A number is just a figure but you watch how long it takes the blanket to go by and there's a much greater impact. It also attracts people who wouldn't normally take part in a protest too because it can be intimidating joining a group waving banners and chanting.

People feel they can make a statement just by helping to carry it. Walkers carried messages about what they called Ireland's complicity in the war on Gaza. They asked the public to tell pharmacists they would not accept Teva medical products where safe alternatives to the Israeli pharma company exist.

They urged support for Gazan students refused visas for Irish university places and called on the Government to block the sale of Israel war bonds in the EU. Ireland is due to resume facilitating the sale on the EU's behalf next month, a move Tánaiste Simon Harris has asked the European Commission to stall. Protesters also carried photographs of some of the hundreds of Palestinian doctors and medics killed, jailed and disappeared since the Israeli assault began. Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine spokeswoman Dr Angy Skuse criticised the Department of Health for continuing to buy Israeli medicines.