Opposing British ‘Armed Forces Day’ at Belfast City Hall

Ógra Shinn Féin protested at Belfast City Hall today opposing the move by the City Council to fly the British army flag as part of ‘armed forces day.’

The republican youth group, alongside Sinn Féin activists, joined in solidarity with RFJ (Relatives for Justice) and the victims of British state murder and collusion to highlight their opposition to the controversial decision.

While the Belfast City Hall gates where adorned with large black ribbons, the protesters held banners with anti collusion and state murder slogans on them. The assembled crowd was addressed by the RFJ director Mark Thompson, and Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly before 70 black balloons where released into the air representing all the young people who were murdered by the British Army.

Speaking at the protest, Ógra Shinn Féin activist Chris Conwell said,

“Ógra Shinn Féin joined in solidarity with RFJ and the families of those murdered through British state violence, to demonstrate our anger and disgust at this blatant triumphalism. The decision by Belfast City Council to fly the British army flag is an attempt to create a hierarchy of victims and make the council a cold house for nationalists and republicans.”

“Ógra Shinn Féin have constantly stood with the families in their long struggle for truth and justice, we have consistently campaigned for truth around the many cases of collusion and British state murder, and opposed other coat trailing acts of triumphalism by the British Army, like the UDR/RIR ‘homecoming parade’ in Belfast last year. We have also campaigned vigorously for the Demilitarisation of the British War Machine in Ireland, and this further attempt at glorification of a foreign murder machine was rightly challenged today, not only by political activists, but also by those most affected by its brutal legacy in Ireland, the families of the victims.”

“This brutal murder machine still acts as an army of occupation in Ireland, and continues to engage in the same acts of state murder and collusion in Afghanistan and Iraq today. It is disgusting that an army engaged in daily massacres of men, women and children, can be afforded official recognition by some sections within Belfast City Council, they should be ashamed of themselves. We will continue to oppose the British War Machine and stand in solidarity with the families of their victims, in their rightful case of truth and justice.”