A group of pro-Palestine protesters disrupted a speech by former rugby player Brian O’Driscoll at a tech conference in Dublin because the event was arranged by a company with links to the Israeli army.
The Cyber Leader Summit Dublin 2025 was organised by Check Point, a cybersecurity company with offices in Tel Aviv and California. Some members of the company’s executive team previously served with the Israeli military.
Mr O’Driscoll, the keynote speaker, was there to “draw powerful parallels between the world of elite rugby and cyber defence - showing how teamwork, resilience and strategy are just as critical on the digital frontlines as they are on the pitch”, according to Check Point’s description of the conference.
The former Irish rugby international was delivering his speech on Thursday afternoon when protesters disrupted the event at The Westbury hotel in Dublin city centre.
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In footage of the incident, one protester shouts: “Shame on you, what are you doing here? ... Shame on you, Brian.”
Protesters were removed from the venue before the event continued. Several gardaí were seen outside the hotel after the incident.
The demonstration was organised by Your Tech Their Deaths, a group which campaigns for tech companies to stop providing services to the Israeli military.
Jude Farrell, founder of the group, questioned why O’Driscoll was at the event.
She said the fact a company with links to the IDF was holding a conference in Dublin “should strike fear into everyone that values Ireland’s neutrality”.
A spokesperson for Check Point said the event “went ahead as planned”.
“We have nothing further to add.”
The Irish Times has contacted Mr O’Driscoll and The Westbury for comment.
A spokesman said gardaí responded “to a public order incident outside a premises near Grafton Street, Dublin 2 at approximately 3:30pm” on Thursday afternoon.
“Those involved dispersed peacefully. No arrests have been reported.”
Check Point chief executive Nadav Zafrir “established the Israel Defense Forces’ Cyber Command and served as Commander of the elite Unit 8200, retiring as a Brigadier General”, the company’s website notes.
Chief strategy officer Roi Karo served for more than 25 years in the IDF; chief technology officer Jonathan Zanger previously led research and development operations for Unit 8200, the Israeli military intelligence unit; and chief information officer Alex Spokoiny held engineering leadership positions in the Israeli Air Force, according to Check Point’s website.
Check Point’s partners include Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
