Protesters gather in Ballsbridge ahead of Austria game

A small group of protesters from the Stop the Game campaign have congregated in Ballsbridge prior to Ireland's upcoming match against Austria at the Aviva Stadium. A larger protest, organized by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, is scheduled to occur just over an hour before kickoff. These protesters intend to line the roads leading to the Aviva Stadium with people and large banners, as supporters arrive for the Nations League fixture.

The protest, set to commence at the intersection of Lansdowne Rd, Northumberland Road, and Pembroke Road around 6:30 pm, will advocate against Ireland's game against Israel taking place in Serbia this Sunday. Earlier this week, the Stop the Game campaign addressed an open letter to the Republic of Ireland team and their manager, Heimir Hallgrimsson, urging them not to participate in the home game that has been relocated abroad and is being played behind closed doors.

The group has also called upon the Government and FAI to shoulder the responsibility, allowing the squad to make the decision to cancel the fixture.

Security is heightened around the stadium today, with Garda presence visible and officials inside the Aviva Stadium preparing for potential protests inside the venue during tonight's match, which is scheduled to start at 7:45 pm. In May, Irish fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch during a friendly against Qatar in protest against games against Israel going ahead.