Irish Artists Boycott Israel Match, Call for Boycott

0:00On April 18th, Irish artists like Nikkep, the Mary Wallopers, and DJ Annie Mack are throwing their weight behind the stop-to-game campaign. They're calling for Ireland to boycott the upcoming UEFA Champions League qualifier against Israel at the Aviva Stadium on October 4th. The push highlights Israel's actions in Gaza, with protesters splicing match footage with images of devastation to make their point. The campaign video points out that over the last 30 months, Israel has killed 565 Palestinian footballers in Gaza. They argue playing the game means supporting genocide. Football Association of Ireland, CEO David Carell, says they have no choice, citing potential sanctions from UEFA that could hurt Irish football. Long term, Tawazishii Michael Martin, once the match to go ahead, urging folks to separate Israel's government from its people. But former Ireland manager Brian Kerr calls that nonsense, saying it's a chance for the FAI to stay in with Palestinians. Annie Mack went hard on Instagram,

1:00insisting everything about football is political, and Ireland could lead by saying no to competing against the nation, accused of slaughtering civilians. The Ireland Palestine Solidarity campaign echoes that, refusing to play representatives of a state-committing genocide. This comes right after Nikkep's Mochara beat a terror charge in the UK High Court for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a gig. The band calls it a distraction from speaking out against Israel, denying any support for terror groups. Pressure keeps building as fans and figures rally online, forcing tough talks on sports, politics, and human rights ahead of kickoff. This has been Music News Today, powered by AI.