Former Ireland rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll was a featured guest speaker at a cybersecurity summit in Dublin that was met with protests, leading to disruptions at the event. The demonstration centered on the participation of an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) officer and the summit’s links to Israeli technology firms.

The event, designed as a conference for cybersecurity professionals, had advertised O’Driscoll as one of its key speakers. His involvement drew significant public attention once the full list of participants became known.

Summit Speakers and Agenda

The agenda for the Dublin-based summit included several figures from the international cybersecurity industry. Alongside Brian O’Driscoll, the schedule confirmed that a serving officer from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) was also slated to speak. The event was promoted as a platform for discussing the latest trends and challenges in the cyber tech world.

Protest Action and Disruption

On the day of the summit, protesters gathered at the entrance to the venue. The demonstrators voiced their opposition to the inclusion of an Israeli military officer on the speakers’ panel. This action caused a disruption to the event’s proceedings. The protest was organized to highlight the connections between the summit and Israeli state and technology entities.