The Jewish woman who was dragged out of Ireland’s official Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony after she silently protested against a diatribe on Gaza by President Michael Higgins has told the JC she fears for the future of her children in the country.
Lior Tibet, 37, was forcibly removed from the event along with a pregnant Jewish friend by security staff after they – along with four other Jews – stood up and turned their back on Higgins when he spoke about the “thousands searching for relatives in the rubble” of Gaza.
“After what happened yesterday I’m really worried about how this will affect my kids. The atmosphere in Ireland is not what it used to be.
“When I first came here, I loved this country. But after October 7, it feels like I am having an existential crisis. It’s hard to believe it’s the same country,” said the mother of two.
Tibet’s pregnant friend, who wished to remain anonymous, accused Higgins of politicising the event.
She said: “It was horrible. I couldn’t believe it. I told them I was pregnant, and the security guard continued to push me out with their bodies. It was so disrespectful.”
The friend added that she was particularly shocked by the speech given that Holocaust survivors Tomi Reichental and Suzi Diamond had specifically asked Higgins not to bring up Gaza.
Tibet, who is from Israel but has lived in Dublin for seven years, said they were demanding a public apology from both the President and Holocaust Education Ireland.
When President Higgins began discussing Gaza, the two women silently turned their backs to him in protest.
Tibet said: “The moment I stood up and turned my back, they grabbed me and started dragging me out. They didn’t ask, they just pushed. I’m a Jewish woman at a ceremony for my community. I have a right to be there.”
The Dublin ceremony attracted controversy last week when it emerged that Higgins was due to address the event.
In July last year, the Irish president sent a congratulatory letter to new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian shortly after his election – and went on accuse Israel of publicising the letter.
In December Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the closure of Israel’s embassy in Ireland due to “extreme anti-Israel policy of the Irish government”.
Tibet told the JC that in the light of this background, she felt compelled to attend the event and take a stand.
“The Holocaust is part of our history. It’s not just about Israel. It’s about remembering the suffering of Jews, period. We couldn’t just not attend.”
They had agreed beforehand that should Higgins politicise the event, they would quietly protest by turning their backs.
“We were just quietly protesting, but they were so quick to remove us,” she said, adding that at a pro-Palestinian protest held in Dublin the day before, “people were walking around with Hezbollah and Hamas flags, and no one said anything to them”.
The two women also expressed growing concern over the increasing hostility toward Jewish communities in Ireland, particularly following the October 7 attacks.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism from the local Jewish community. Rabbi Yoni Wieder, Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, expressed his deep concern over the treatment of the protesters and the politicisation of the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony.
“Ireland’s National Holocaust Memorial ought to be a time to remember those who suffered unspeakable horrors at the hands of the Nazis,” said Rabbi Wieder.
“It is deeply disheartening that President Higgins opted to politicise it by singling out this war and taking issue with Israel’s response to the atrocities of October 7.
“It’s no surprise that some in attendance chose to show their disagreement with his speech. They did so in silence, and they were not disrupting the event. The fact that anyone was manhandled and dragged out of the room by force is a disgrace. It was completely unjustified.”
