Demo to ‘give Vladimir Putin the red card’ staged at Tallaght Stadium

Rally organised by Irish Syria Solidarity Movement against St Petersburg native

Members of the Irish Syria Solidarity Movement, pictured in front of the Zenit St. Petersburg team bus, held a demonstration outside Tallaght stadium before tonight’s Europa League match against Dundalk. Photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times

A demonstration to “give Vladimir Putin the red card” was staged outside Tallaght Stadium in Dublin on Thursday during Dundalk’s Europa League defeat to Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg.

The demonstration was held by the Irish Syria Solidarity Movement, as Mr Putin is a St Petersburg native.

The group said the demonstration was designed “to demonstrate our disgust at the egregious human rights violations being carried out by Russia and elsewhere in Syria”.

A Zenit St. Petersburg fan protests to a Garda as the Irish Syria Solidarity Movement held a demonstration outside Tallaght stadium before tonight’s Europa League match against Dundalk. Photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times

The Irish Syria Solidarity Movement said it was its “duty to speak out against the horrific atrocities committed by the regime”.