Sinn Féin boycott of celebrations a ‘stand against injustice’

Sinn Féin’s first minister at Stormont, Michelle O’Neill, has said she is “taking a stand against injustice” as she defended her decision to boycott St Patrick’s Day events at the White House.

On Friday, the party announced it will not travel to Washington DC for the annual festivities next month over US President Donald Trump’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

There had been growing calls for the party to make its position clear, after the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) clarified it will not take part in celebrations if invited.

However, no invites have been officially issued yet.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson criticised the decision as “short-sighted and counterproductive”, and confirmed his party would attend the St Patrick’s Day events.

When power-sharing is functioning, it is custom for the first and deputy first ministers to make the trip.

O’Neill said she could not attend St Patrick’s Day events “in good conscience” following President Trump’s remarks on Gaza earlier this month.

The US president previously suggested the US could “take over” and “own” Gaza while resettling its population in the process.

“I’m taking a stand against an injustice which I see unravelling every day from the dangerous rhetoric from this new US president,” she told BBC News NI.

“At moments like this, whenever our grandchildren ask us what do we do, whenever the Palestinian people were suffering in the way in which they are, I want to be able to say that I stood on the side of humanity so this decision for me is very much the position of principle and I think it’s the right thing to do.”

The first minister said she was “comfortable” with her decision, and added that she values US relations.

She said she had informed Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of her decision this morning, and will not “stand in her way” if she wishes to go.

“I respect her different views and equally would ask that she would respect me,” she said.

“I’ve taken my decision on a point of principle, I know I’m doing what I’m doing, but Emma will also have her voice and she’ll make her views know I have no doubt.”

O’Neill said it was “the right thing” for Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin to still attend the US celebrations.

“He has a unique experience in that he gets one-on-one time with the United States President,” she added.

“He will have an opportunity to make the depth of feeling felt by the people here, at home in Ireland and I think he should never miss that opportunity.”

The taoiseach said Sinn Féin were “engaging in politics” over its decision, and said he has a “responsibility to the country” to attend the celebrations.

“Many Irish companies create thousands of jobs in the US – and many US companies create jobs in Ireland – it’s a two-way street, but a very significant relationship and we have a relationship to protect the livelihoods of people in this country and to engage and discuss and profile the level of Irish investment in the US,” Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports.

Tánaiste (deputy Irish prime minister) Simon Harris said Sinn Fein’s stance “does not help anybody in Palestine”.

“It’s always easier to just not show up, isn’t it? What’s actually much more productive is to show up, work hard, and actually engage with people on complex and important issues,” he told reporters at the G20 summit.

Earlier, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said she had followed the president’s comments on Gaza with “growing concern” and had listened in “horror” to calls for “mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and the permanent seizure of Palestinian lands”.

At a press conference following the announcement, McDonald added that the US is a “valued friend” of Ireland, with strong peace ties and role in the Irish economy.

However, the Sinn Féin president said the current US administration is “catastrophically wrong” on Palestine.

“I have made a decision not to attend events in the White House this year as a principled stance against the call for the mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza,” she said.

At a press conference following the announcement, McDonald added that the US is a “valued friend” of Ireland, with strong peace ties and role in the Irish economy.

However, the Sinn Féin president said the current US administration is “catastrophically wrong” on Palestine.

“The only route to peace and security is a permanent ceasefire followed by a negotiation settlement which guarantees peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis through a just and sustainable two state solution and that should be the solution of the US.”

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson criticised the first minister’s decision to boycott the celebrations and confirmed that his party would be in Washington for the St Patrick’s day events.

“We always use the opportunity to strengthen Northern Ireland’s economic and political ties with the United States, regardless of who occupies the White House,” he said.

“We will continue to engage with our partners in Washington, promoting Northern Ireland as a place to invest, work, and do business.”

SDLP leader Claire Hanna said she was glad there was a “growing realisation things cannot be business as usual” with the current US administration.

Last week, she announced that her party would decline an invite to the White House over the president’s comments on Gaza.

It is the second year in a row the party has said it would turn down an invitation to St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

“There are those who have championed Donald Trump and tried to ride on his coattails,” she told BBC News NI.

“They have a decision to make as to whether they go along with his autocracy, his means of disinformation and potentially international chaos or whether they choose to stand against it and speak truth to power.”