Lior Tibet (37), who has lived in Dublin for about seven years, was captured on video on Sunday being forcibly removed by security guards during Irish President Michael Higgin's speech, after he began attacking Israel over its actions in Gaza during a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony.
"Our protest was about him addressing the war," she says in her first interview, "The debate about whether he should speak at the ceremony began about a month before the event. There were many voices in the community who didn't want to see him there, given his hostility toward Israel and his statements that encourage antisemitism."
Video: Lior Tibet being removed after protesting Higgins / Credit: Daniel Koskas
Tibet explains that the local Israeli-Jewish community had many deliberations and discussions about how to properly respond. "We didn't want to boycott the ceremony because it's a Jewish community ceremony. On the other hand, we wondered what kind of protest would convey the right message. We debated what to do, and said that whoever feels they want to walk out should walk out, and whoever wants to turn their back should turn their back – we knew that those who left wouldn't be allowed back in."
"We said we wouldn't stand when he goes to speak – we thought maybe the pressure we applied in advance would help and he wouldn't bring in politics, but if he did raise the issue, we would stand and turn our backs to him. At the end of his speech he started attacking Israel and creating a certain equation between the Holocaust and what Israel is doing in Gaza – and at that moment we stood up and turned our backs."
When they did so, Tibet's friend, who was pregnant, was pulled outside. "She didn't resist too much because she's pregnant," Tibet recounts. "And then they came to me and grabbed my arm and came to pull me outside. I said to them right then: 'You cannot remove a Jewish woman from a Holocaust memorial ceremony, this is my ceremony.' I refused to leave and they really pulled me. I resisted and then they started dragging me on the floor, and I'm shouting the whole time 'I'm Jewish, why are you removing me?'"
Tibet repeatedly emphasizes that the security guards pulled her with force – which she says was excessive relative to the act: "I turned my back, this is a democratic country – what is this thing?! Outside I spoke with some of the police officers who were keeping me from going back into the ceremony, and I told them I don't understand this country. Just yesterday there was a demonstration in the middle of the city with Hamas and Hezbollah flags – and they did nothing. But I, who makes a quiet protest, without shouting, without posters, didn't support a violent movement or terrorists – and they use force against me! The officers said they understand, but there's nothing to do and they won't let me back into the event. In the end four people were removed, and we weren't allowed back in. They told us that until the event was over we weren't allowed to be in the event area."
"My feeling is very difficult," Tibet shares angrily, "What way is left for me to protest? You can't go out on the street with an Israeli flag because you need security and the police aren't interested in providing security. You try to protest at the university and it's a problem – we wanted to organize a Holocaust memorial ceremony at one of the universities, and they told us it's a 'controversial issue.' And all this happens while there are demonstrations full of hate and supporting terror in the city streets here undisturbed. Since the incident I've been receiving hate messages on social media and to my work email. They want us to leave, but we won't let them win in the unfair and unjust battle they're waging against the Jewish community, against Israel and against Israelis," she declares, "We will continue to fight antisemitism even if it's like a bone in their throat, we'll continue to present the truth even if they don't want to hear us."
