In November, three activists from Palestine Action Eire crashed a modified van through a barrier at Shannon Airport, drove onto the runway towards a United States military aircraft and sprayed green paint on a parked Boeing 737-700.

The action was in protest against what they saw as Ireland’s complicity in Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza through the US military’s continued use of Shannon Airport. At the time, Israel’s onslaught had killed more than 69,000 Palestinians.

“I took part in the action out of a general frustration with the Irish establishment and society,” activist Conan Kavanagh told Al Jazeera.

After spending two days in Limerick Prison on remand, he paid 10,000 euros ($11,500) in bail money. The three activists awaiting trial have been charged with criminal damage and interfering with the “operation, management or safety of an airport”.

“For a country that prides itself on a shared history of colonialism and resistance, I think we’re incredibly limited in how we express support for the Palestinian people,” Kavanagh said. “A lot of Palestinian activism in Ireland is centred around marches, speeches and rallies, which while good needs to be escalated upon with more actively disruptive protests if we hope to actually force the hands of the state.”