In an act of solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip, Irish MMA Fighter Paddy McCorry shouted “Free Palestine” as he beat his Israeli opponent, Shuki Farage, at the Cage Warriors 189 event in Rome, Italy.
A viral video shared online shows McCorry pinning Farage to the ground, landing a series of blows while repeatedly chanting the slogan on Saturday, May 31.. The crowd can also be heard echoing “Free, free Palestine” as the fight reached its peak.
Sharing the video on X, McCorry captioned it “Street Justice,” accompanied by Irish and Palestinian flags.
After being declared the unanimous winner, McCorry raised the Palestinian flag, ending his opponent’s previously undefeated streak.
Watch the video here
Farage is reported to have served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). Images circulating online, allegedly from his Instagram and Facebook accounts, depict him in IDF uniform holding a weapon in front of a building destroyed in Gaza. After facing online criticism, Farage appears to have taken down his social media profiles.
In May 2024, amid Israel’s military actions, Ireland officially recognised the state of Palestine, joining several other European nations, including Spain.
At least 54,418 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war since October 7, 2023, the Health Ministry said on Sunday, June 1.
