Three arrested after pro-Palestine protesters breach perimeter of Shannon Airport

Pat Flynn and Gráinne Ní Aodha

A group of pro-Palestinian activists have said three of its were detained after they breached the perimeter of Shannon Airport.

The group Palestine Action Éire said three of its activists “entered the airport runway” at Shannon in an attempt to inspect a US military plane.

The airport suspended operations for an hour until 7.30pm.

The three individuals are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in Co Clare.

It is believed that a white van crossed a grass area on the main road into the airport and crashed through the perimeter fence.

It is understood that a number of people wearing orange jump suits, hard hats and scarves over their faces then entered the airport’s ‘air side’ area.

They ran in the direction of a taxiway before were detected and quickly apprehended.

Palestine Action Éire allege that the Omni Air Boeing 767-300 CRAF that landed at Shannon Airport on Thursday was aiding wars in the Middle East, including Israel and Yemen.

The group said its claims are “contextualised by The Ditch’s investigative reporting”, which it said “confirms that US weapons and military personnel are regularly travelling to the Middle East”, including Israel, via Shannon Airport.

It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish airspace without an exemption from the Minister for Transport.

News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have transited Irish airspace since October 2023.

However, Ministers have suggested there is ambiguity on whether certain airlines require permission for their cargo.

Palestine Action Éire is demanding that the Government stop allowing flights carrying weapons and military equipment through Irish airspace.

A statement from Palestine Action Éire said the Government was “literally fuelling genocide”.

“The government continues to allow troops and weapons through Shannon against the democratic will of the people,” it said.

A spokesperson for the Shannon Airport Group said normal operations had resumed following an incident which required Garda assistance.

“The airport suspended operations at 6.30pm and a number of flights were delayed as a result,” it said.

“The situation was promptly addressed by Gardai and operations fully resumed at 7.30pm.”

A spokesperson for the Garda Press Office said: “Gardaí are currently at the scene of an ongoing incident at Shannon Airport in Co. Clare. No further details are available at this time.”

On March 27th, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said it was “expressly prohibited” for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish territory without being granted an exemption.

“In 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel,” he told the Dáil.

“Since October 2023, diplomatic clearance has been granted on a small number of occasions for US military aircraft to land in Shannon for the specific purpose of transporting senior officials travelling from the United States to the Middle East.

“Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation.”