UPDATE: Laois nurse has had passport taken by Egyptian authorities

Nelson Mandela's grandson has praised Irish people's support of Palestine, speaking to a Laois nurse in the March to Gaza.

Nurse Helen Lawlor from Mountmellick met South African Ndaba Mandala in Cairo, while waiting for permission to march with thousands of other people from over 60 countries across the Sinai Desert for two days to the Rafah border.

"He was actually talking about Mary Manning and how important Ireland has been in stopping apartheid in South Africa and it's no wonder that Ireland is standing for Palestine," she told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

The activist confirmed on Friday, June 13 that she has had her passport taken by Egyptian authorities along with all of the Irish group trying to join the March to Gaza. However unlike some in the group, she has not been detained. 

Helen gave an update from a checkpoint an hour outside Cairo where she had landed. Her hope was to be allowed through that checkpoint but there are "a few more along the way".

Helen Lawlor pictured as she updated the Leinster Express on her situation in Egypt.

"They took hundreds of people off boats and out of taxis. There are loads of checkpoints with hundreds of thousands of people held at them.

"There is no violence, anything like that. We knew coming over that things like this were going to happen. Seeing people being deported and detained, it's not as important as why we are here. 

"My passport was taken, all of our passports were taken earlier. We're getting them back now in dribs and drabs. They are offering to transport people back to Cairo. Some are to be deported. But we won't stop. If we can move we will move. If we can't move we're not going back, we'll stay here.

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"We're all just sitting here with all the delegations talking to try and figure out what we are doing. But everyone is very determined. Some of our group are detained in other places and some are on the way - they don't know to where - they've taken their phones and their passports," the Mountmellick woman said. 

UPDATE: At about 6.20 pm Irish time, the group were ordered to get onto buses to be deported to Cairo.

"Or else they're basically going to come and beat us all on. We've all decided to sit here peacefully because there's no violence coming from any of us," she reported.

On Sunday, June 15, she posted the following update.

"Yesterday, after hours of being held at a checkpoint with our passports removed, we were encircled by police who were followed by militia and local "agents", thugs, who arrived bearing ropes, belts, whips, pointed weapons, umbrellas (!) and one order, to beat and remove us all. We sat peacefully throughout and stayed silent as we watched them beat people row by row in front of us, waiting for our turn. They used full 2L bottles of water to throw forcefully into people's faces. We were seated and silent. We were then forced onto buses to return to Cairo.

"This wasn't unexpected, this wasn't a shock (although it was unnerving to see how vicious and deranged these men and boys were- some only teens if even). This tactic was employed as police could not attack as we were all peaceful, hundreds of us at only one of many points.

"We do not want to break Egyptian laws and will respect them, the issue at hand is Gaza and we need tangible support from the Irish government to negotiate alleviating the current situation, and the wider issue of aid reaching Gaza and an end to this genocide and occupation. Our own governments need to act.

"It is thought that approximately 7 people from other delegations are missing since last night. Some were last seen while being beaten.

"We woke today, many of us bruised, cut, sore etc, but we remain committed to raising the problem with the silence and complicity around Gaza and Palestine. People in Gaza cannot get out or escape their horror. They live all day everyday not know when their turn will come, to be attacked, beaten, shot, bombed. They don't know when they will eat next. They don't always get to see the hatred in their attackers eyes because they are targeted from every direction. Last night was nothing. Free Gaza, Free Palestine. Please continue to contact representatives and embassies at home. Ask that they act on Gaza. Ask that they liase with the Eyptian Embassy to allow this peaceful march. Ask that they end our complicity. Keep eyes on Gaza".

Helen Lawlor had spoken to the Leinster Express / Laois Live ahead of her trip about why she was going. Read her interview here.

The worldwide March to Gaza plan is planned to gather at the Rafah crossing on Sunday, June 15. There, hundreds of thousands of people who travelled from across the world, will peacefully ask the Israeli state to drop their blockade of aid trucks into Gaza, to help some 2 million people trapped in an enforced famine while being bombed and shot by Israeli military forces.