There was a large Ógra Shinn Féin presence on the day, with young republicans travelling from across Ireland.
The rally/march was calling for an end to the ongoing illegal occupations in Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan and also to demand the truth for the hundreds of families who have been bereaved through the official British state policy of collusion and state murder. The UDR/RIR themselves where part and parcel of the murder machine.
At the Rally in Dunville Park, Sean 'Spike' Murray, Gerry Kelly MLA and National Co-ordinator for Relatives For Justice Mark, Thompson addressed the assembled crowd.
As the marchers, led by relatives, made their way to Fisherwick place to protest peacefully and dignified at the passing RIR/UDR coat trailing exercise, loyalists who had accessed scaffolding adjacent to the protest, lobbed bottles, bits of scaffold and fireworks to provoke, and injure.
The Sinn Féin protest remained vigilant and dignified and relatives held the portraits of their loved ones, the victims of Collusion/State murder, high as the RIR/UDR 'victory parade' passed by.
The rally/march allowed the families, who had been ignored in this highly insensitive parade, to get their message across, and it also allowed the people of Belfast and wider afield to demonstrate their ongoing opposition to the illegal imperialist occupations.
Speaking from the march, National Organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McColgan said,
“A huge number of people young and old turned out today to demonstrate their disgust at the coat trailing and triumphalism by the British Army, who remain as an illegal army of occupation in Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and who controlled and directed state murder and collusion against citizens they wished to rule in the north of Ireland.”
“Despite massive provocation, and attacks from those who where supposedly welcoming home the British Army, the thousands of people who took part in the rally stood dignified and steadfast despite bolts, bottles and fireworks being directed towards us.”
“A huge number of people young and old turned out today to demonstrate their disgust at the coat trailing and triumphalism by the British Army, who remain as an illegal army of occupation in Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and who controlled and directed state murder and collusion against citizens they wished to rule in the north of Ireland.”
“Despite massive provocation, and attacks from those who where supposedly welcoming home the British Army, the thousands of people who took part in the rally stood dignified and steadfast despite bolts, bottles and fireworks being directed towards us.”
“We got our message out today in a peaceful and dignified manner, and exposed clearly the true triumphalist nature of the British Army and their cohorts. The fight must continue to ensure that Britain comes clean on its state policy of collusion, and we as an occupied nation, must continue to stand in solidarity with others occupied and oppressed people across the world.”
2 comments:
comhairdeachas a comrádaithe.
you displayed nothing but intengrity in the face of violence and those murderers. I'm very proud of Ógra's response to this shameful exercise
Those PSNI bastards faced our side down with riot sheilds and batons, while also carrying out extensive filming of the SF march along its route. This was instead of facing the flag waving fascists and preventing them from climbing the scaffolding to hurl bolts and bottles. Entirely one sided policing from the peelers. If this isnt challenged then what the fuck is the point in sitting on the policing bodies. I trust that it will though.
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