Coca-cola to remain on sale in Meath civic spaces as Palestine motion rejected
A motion by an Independent councillor to remove Coca-Cola products from Meath County Council premises was rejected at the council’s September meeting.
Navan councillor Alan Lawes proposed that the council boycott the soft drinks company “because of the genocide in Palestine.” He called for the suspension of standing orders so the motion could be debated as an emergency item. Suspending standing orders requires the agreement of members.
Fine Gael councillor Gerry O’Connor opposed the suspension.
In response, Cllr Lawes said: “You are trying to silence talk about genocide, when we should be trying to do something about genocide. That’s what I’m trying to raise here. I think it’s very disingenuous of you not even to allow a discussion to take place about the genocide that is taking place every day on our televisions where children are being slaughtered before our eyes.”
“We’re talking about Meath County Council actually doing something. This reflects badly on the council.”
Following the exchange, councillors were asked to vote on whether to move to the next item on the agenda. By a show of hands, members voted 18–12 in favour of moving on, meaning the proposed suspension of standing orders — and the boycott motion — were not discussed.
Outside the council’s headquarters at Buvinda House, a group of demonstrators carrying Palestinian flags staged a protest before the meeting began.
Kay Kearns, a member of Meath Friends of Palestine, said the demonstration aimed to raise awareness about boycotts of Israeli-linked products.
“The people of Palestine have been bombarded, they’ve been starved, they have been forced out of their areas. We just want to show people that in a small way, they can help make a huge difference.”