Over the past few days the news headlines have been dominated by the tall ships challenge. These majestic ships sailed into Belfast and thousands have turned out to view them. Indeed this will be a great event for everyone young and old but why did the organisers have to politicise this event by including British terrorists in the celebrations?
We certainly have nothing to celebrate in terms of the Royal Marines, they have murdered Irish Citizens over the past number of years and they have just arrived back from a tour in Afghanistan were they murdered at least 2,000 civilians last year.
They shot dead 16 year old IRA Volunteer Michael Hughes from the Derrybeg Estate in Newry on the 18th October 1974 as he attempted to hijack an Ulsterbus, the unit of Marines lay hidden in undergrowth on the opposite side of the road. No warning was given as they opened fire, shooting him dead.
Michael was just one of many Irish citizens murdered by these terrorists, there are simply too many to mention.
Michael was just one of many Irish citizens murdered by these terrorists, there are simply too many to mention.
Today, Republican Socialist group éirigi will be protesting against the presence of the Royal Marines. So far they are the only Republican group who have announced they will be protesting. Their presence is just another attempt to "normalise" the British occupation.
This event recieved backing from Belfast City Council, so why did the SDLP or Provisional Sinn Fein not object to the presence of these terrorists?
The British Army currently have roughly 5,000 troops garrisoned on Irish Soil. Due to the unfortunate succes of the British policy of "normalisation" many people are not aware of that fact.
They haven't gone away you know!
éirígí Activists Board British Warship in Belfast
ReplyDelete14/08/09
As part of an imaginative political protest two éirígí activists today boarded the British warship Mounts Bay, which was in Belfast as part of the festivities surrounding the arrival of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge. While temporarily posing as loyal supporters of the Royal Marines the pair proceeded to distribute éirígí DVDs to members of the crew and other British military personnel.
The DVDs, entitled ‘Britain’s Royal Marines Facing the Music’, consisted of two éirígí-produced videos containing images of some of the civilians who have been killed and maimed by the British military in Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. At one point the DVD was actually played on an audio-visual display on the ship by an unwitting member of the crew.
Copies of the two videos can be viewed below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKp_vg99_8g&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8POHGBhFK7A&feature=player_embedded
While on board the warship the two activists also photographed members of the British military encouraging children to handle automatic weapons. When challenged by a senior member of the ship’s crew the two protesters explained their objection to the presence of a British warship at the Tall Ships event, before being escorted off the Mounts Bay.
As the pair left the ship up to a dozen members of the paramilitary PSNI arrived, apparently intent on carrying out arrests. They quickly withdrew, however, as a number of journalists began to interview the éirígí activists.
Following the protest éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson said:
“The presence of the British Military at the Tall Ships event is an absolute disgrace. What should have been a great day for Belfast and Ireland has been marred in a transparent attempt by the British military to normalise its occupation of the Six Counties.
“éirígí announced a couple of days ago that we intended to challenge the Royal Marine Band here today, but strangely enough they didn’t turn up – using the excuse of bad weather to cover their fear of éirígí upsetting their planned photo opportunity.
“When our activists boarded the Mounts Bay the last thing they expected to find were young children being encouraged to handle weapons by the British military. It is absolutely disgusting that the Tall Ships event was used to familiarise children with the weapons of war. It seems that the British Navy is now happy to encourage child soldiers in Ireland.
“It is a sad piece of irony that the DVDs we distributed today contain many images of similar children killed by similar weapons yielded by the British military.”
http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest140809.html
I notice éirigi also protested at the presence of a British warship in Dublin this evening
ReplyDeleteéirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has reiterated the socialist republican party’s commitment to opposing any displays of British militarism in Ireland in response to today’s visit (Wednesday) to Dublin by a British naval warship.
As the warship docked in Dublin, éirígí activists were on hand to show her crew that their presence in Ireland is not welcome. Despite receiving short notice of the ship’s arrival, over a dozen éirígí activists assembled to protest the ship’s presence in the capital city.
The activists held placards and banners reading ‘Britain out of Ireland’ and ‘Britain’s war machine out of Ireland, End the Occupation’.
Speaking at the protest, éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson said: “Today’s visit to Dublin by a British warship is another example of Britain’s attempts to pass off its relationship with Ireland as being ‘normalised’. However, there is nothing normal about the British occupation of the Six Counties or the presence of 5,000 British troops in the North of Ireland.
“éirígí has been to the forefront of opposing displays of British militarism in Ireland. Last week, several of our activists boarded a British warship in Belfast to protest its appearance at the Tall Ships festival. éirígí took the lead in opposing last November’s RIR parade in Belfast and led opposition to Britain’s so-called armed forces day in June. Today’s protest is just the latest stage in the party’s campaign against the British occupation.
“Britain’s military presence in Ireland is completely unacceptable and will be opposed by Irish republicans for as long as it continues.”
good post lad, keep it up.
ReplyDeletedcfc2007