Protesters issue statement following arrest at Irish Open: "Ireland must stand up to imperialism"

On Saturday, two Irish women disrupted the Irish Open by walking onto the green in protest of Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the American President was landing at Doonbeg in a military helicopter.

The protesters, Emma O'Grady and Áine Treanor, wore T-shirts reading "US WAR MACHINE OUT OF SHANNON". The pair addressed the crowd to say Trump was not welcome in Ireland, and called for a free Palestine and an end to the U.S. Military's use of Shannon Airport.

The golf tournament took place at Trump International Golf Links in County Clare, a property he has owned since 2014.

The two protesters lay down on the green and were physically moved by Gardaí, with the help of an Irish Open official and a golfer. They were arrested and brought to a special sitting of Ennis District Court that evening. The two were released on bail and will appear in court on October 20.

"We did this action especially on behalf of women", O'Grady and Treanor said in a joint statement. "The Irish government funding the security for a private trip for a rapist and war criminal is not normal. What we did was normal."

"Trump is not welcome in Ireland. It's wrong that we have facilitated and paid for the security of a fascist for a golfing whim", said Emma O'Grady.

"The President of the United States is responsible for war, destruction and exploitation all over the world, and thousands upon thousands of deaths in Palestine. By allowing him to come here it makes us complicit. By allowing the US Military to land at Shannon it makes us complicit in genocide. Ireland must stand up to imperialism."

"War, genocide and protecting rapists is now the norm, no one is coming to save us, we need to act", said Áine Treanor.

Eleven other people are also on trial for direct action protests in attempt to stop the U.S. Military at Shannon Airport.