Saturday 14 February 2015

Volunteer Thomas Carr remembered by éirígí in Newry


The socialist republican party, éirígí, recently commemorated the 90th anniversary of Volunteer Thomas Carr in Newry. Thomas Carr was shot by the RUC on Hill Street, on February 12th 1925 and later died from his wounds.

Speaking to those assembled at the spot where Thomas was gunned down, éirígí’s Stephen Murney explained the background to the state-sanctioned murder.

Murney said, “90 years ago today Volunteer Thomas Carr was walking along Hill Street with two friends when the RUC attempted to arrest him. A short struggle ensued and Thomas tried to escape.  As Thomas ran towards the Cathedral gates, he was shot several times in the back and thigh by an RUC sergeant named Tutty.  Although severely wounded, Thomas made his way through the gates where Sergeant Tutty opened fire again.”

“Thomas collapsed in the grounds of the Cathedral and was treated at the scene by a doctor before being taken to the Nursing Home in Corry Square where he would later die from his injuries.”

“Thomas Carr’s funeral was one of the largest seen for many years in the town at the time. The entire town of Newry was saturated by large numbers of RUC and B-Special personnel during the funeral, and the graveyard was also surrounded by the same forces.”

éirígí's Stephen Murney
Murney concluded “When Volunteer Thomas Carr was murdered, the force responsible for his death was known as the RUC.  That same force also conducted similar shoot-to-kill policy in more recent years.

“Today, the RUC has re-branded as the PSNI. Constitutional nationalists who act as apologists for the PSNI would have people believe that the modern Six County police force has no direct links to its predecessors.

“They choose to ignore the fact that today’s PSNI continues to cover-up the shoot-to-kill policy conducted by the RUC. They choose to ignore the fact that today’s PSNI continues to cover the RUC’s collusion with unionist death squads.

“Those same constitutional nationalists also choose to ignore ongoing and systematic human rights abuses by the PSNI.

“A cosmetic change of name and uniform has not altered the true nature of Six County policing, the primary objective of which is to protect Britain's strategic interests in Ireland.”