Garda investigation under way after woman spits on Israeli man in Dublin hotel bar

The incident occurred in Hardy’s Bar in Dún Laoghaire yesterday evening.

8.52pm, 14 Mar 2025

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GARDAÍ HAVE LAUNCHED an investigation following an incident at a hotel bar in Dublin, where a woman spat at an Israeli man during a confrontation at his table.

In footage shared to social media, two women can be seen confronting Israeli citizen Tamir Ohayon and another unidentified person in Hardy’s Bar in Dún Laoghaire yesterday evening.

The women have been identified as Zeina Ismail and Lena Seale, who have been involved in pro-Palestine campaigns. 

In a video shared to Instagram by Ohayon, the two women can be seen approaching the man in the hotel bar at around 9.30pm yesterday.

Both Seale and Ismail were seen gesturing their middle fingers toward Ohayon while telling him: “Zionists are not welcome in Ireland”.

Later, Ismail can be seen spitting at Ohayon, before the two women depart from his table.

Footage of the incident was shared on Instagram by Tamir Ohayon today.

In a post online, Ohayon stated that he and another individual at his table were targeted by an “organized group of girls for simply being Israelis”.

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“My heart is truly broken. THIS is Ireland in 2025,” Ohayon said.

Seale said that the pair confronted Ohayon due to his alleged previous involvement with the Israel Defence Forces.

Ohayon is understood to have served in the city of Hebron in the West Bank, where in a deleted post on social media, he tagged the location as “Israel”.

Speaking to The Journal, Seale also claims that Ohayon previously shared a story on Instagram about Gazans.

She added that she and Ismail were not violent during the incident, and said it was “just a conversation”.

Seale said that they had found Ohayon through his social media, where he had shared a selfie of himself in Hardy’s Bar.

“No IOF [Israeli Occupying Forces – a term used by some Palestinian activists for the IDF] soldier or agent of Zionism is welcome in Ireland and actionists have a duty to expose and confront them if an opportunity arises,” Seale said in a statement.

Gardaí confirmed this evening that they were alerted to the “public order incident” yesterday evening.

“No injuries were reported. Investigations are ongoing,” a garda spokesperson said.

Condemning the incident and behaviour on X, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown councillor Jim O’Leary said it was “pure wrong”.

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