ON 15th JULY I WAS ARRESTED BY THE PSNI/RUC DURING AN EARLY MORNING RAID ON MY HOME

 

Alan Lundy

On 15th July 2i was arrested by the PSNI in an early morning raid

on my home. This was in relation to a number of scurrilous accusations

made by a single PSNI officer regarding my behaviour while acting as a

steward at the successful GARC protest march against sectarianism on

the 12th July 2012. I was accused by this PSNI officer of throwing a

missile at police lines, an accusation that i have vociferously

rejected at all times. In addition to this charge, i was also charged

with an historical offence, namely attacking a British soldier in 2005

- again on the word of a single PSNI officer, over seven years after

the alleged event.

As a result of the actions of these PSNI officers, my home was wrecked

during the raids that accompanied my arrest – distressing my partner

and two young children. Many personal items were also seized, some

with sentimental value, that have still not been returned to me. The

main result was that i was on remand for three months in Maghaberry

Gaol, taken from my family. During these three months i applied for

bail on a number of occasions and this was refused by numerous judges,

based on the PSNI’s opposition and their supposed “fear of

re-offending”. At the same time others were granted bail, including a

number of loyalists who were released with no attached bail

conditions. This was especially galling for my family and friends who

had to sit through the bail applications of loyalists with far

stronger evidence against them and see bail granted, then watch as my

own application was refused. I was eventually granted bail in October

2012 after serving three months, all of which i served on full protest

with other Republicans in Roe House.

The 2005 charges were dropped a number of weeks ago, based on lack of

evidence. This justified my position that these charges were simply

introduced as a “back up” – to ensure that coupled with 2012 charges i

would be remanded and taken off the streets by the PSNI. Today all

charges in relation to 12th July were dismissed at Belfast Magistrates

Court, further vindicating my belief that these were politically

motivated charges with a number of sinister objectives on behalf of

the PSNI. Firstly, as a Republican Activist from Ardoyne that works

hard on a number of campaigns, it was in the interests of a State

Militia to remove me from the streets. Doing so, and using the word of

one officer as reasonable evidence to do so, demonstrates internment

by remand is a strategic policy used by the PSNI and PPS in 2013

Ireland. Secondly, the GARC mobilisation of 2,500 Ardoyne Residents on

12th July 2012 was seen by the PSNI, and by association the State, as

a demonstration by the Ardoyne community that enough was enough when

it came to Sectarian Marches through our area. Imprisoning me was to

be interpreted as a warning to all those in attendance that if they

oppose Loyal Order parades then they too will face accusations and

charges. This further demonstrates the one sided nature of Policing

with regard to this issue, however the overwhelming support that I and

my family have received since this ordeal began has shown that, far

from scaring the Ardoyne community, it has made it more determined to

oppose these parades and the attempted criminalistaion of residents

that accompanies them.

Today the PSNI have been shown for what they are, a corrupt force that

is there to protect the state by whatever means necessary – even if it

means falsely charging and imprisoning innocent people, simply for

their political beliefs. They are no different to their forerunners in

the RUC in this regard and as such should continue to be rejected by

Republicans and all those who state they are concerned with the

protection of fundamental human rights. Those who continue to be

apologists and welcome the PSNI into communities such as Ardoyne need

to be challenged, but at the same time these people need to look deep

inside themselves and ask are they comfortable supporting and

promoting a force that has as a policy of selective internment by

remand – taking fathers and mothers from their children for prolonged

periods of time.It is simply not good enough to say political policing

should not affect people only if they still support certain political

parties. If they look hard deep enough and be honest with themselves

and others, then they will cease lending credence to a police force

that is as discredited as the one which they used to oppose. Please Share….

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DUP MP NIGEL DODDS CALL’S ARDOYNE FIANNA ” CHILD EXPLORATION & GLORIFYING PARAMILITARY ACTIVITIES AND VIOLENCE ‘ !

” So Mr Dodds and Nelson McCauseland : ” What the fuck do you call this ? ” Are you going to condemned the exploitation of children glorifying paramilitary activities and violence on the fucking Orange side too ???

Child exploration has been happening within the Orange Order for many many years.

 

 

 

 

DISSIDENTS PARADE KIDS IN PARAMILITARY GARB

Use of children to glorify violence disgraceful says MP

THE use of primary school children dressed in paramilitary uniform and marching in military formation to lead a dissident republican parade has been ccondemned as ” disgraceful “. There were calls for the children’s commissioner to investigate after three boys were dressed in berets, dark glasses and black gloves at a North Belfast Easter commemoration.

After the boys led the parade to a Fianna mural in Ardoyne a gunman emerged from the crowd and fired shots into the air. Na Fianna hEireann is the youth wing of the IRA. Several hundred people attended the parade organised by Republican Network for Unity  (RNU) and the Henry Joy McCracken flute band. North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds said it was ” disgraceful to see children being used to glorify paramilatary activites and violence “. ” This is highly inappropraite and I would call on the children’s commissioner and the revevant ahthorites to investigate this incident thoroughly,” he said. RNU spokesman Ciaran Cunningham said the group – which recently announced it was considering standing candidates in future elections – had helped to orginise the march but distanced himself from the involvment of the children. ” The Fianna parade is now in its third year and while RNU and Henry Joy McCracken band provided the plaque and help with some of the logistics required to orgainse such an avent the cosmetic pageantry wuold not be a matter for us and would be a oganised at a local level,” he said. Nigel Dodds said : ” My party ccolleagues and I will be pursuing these matters with the police and will be asking serious questions about the flagrant promotion of criminality and terrorism. ” Given that this parade and wreath laying were notified to the PSNI/RUC and to the Parades Commission what level of monitoring and observation did those authorities have in place ? ” In the light of what has occoured what actions will the PSNI/RUC and the Parades Commission be taking against the organisers ?

Gunman firing shots into the air at Ardoyne parade

” I know absoulutely nothing about the shots being fired but will take no lectures from Nigel Dodds or any other member of his party that regularly particpates in events glorifying and encourging recruitment to the British Army,” he said. ” The bulk of armed men in Ardoyne on Saturday were members of the PSNI/RUC. ” We would not have been made aware of the finer details of the pageantry beforehand but I’m not going to start condemning people on the ground for what is a fairly minor thing.” $hame £ein assembly member Gerry Kelly cocondemned the firing of shots at Saturday’s parade. He said dissident republicians had been exploting parades ” as a cover to do other things “.

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, Irish News.

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SECOND PARADE PROTEST APPLICATION !

A SECOND nationalist residents group has lodged an application to hold a protest during a parade at a North Belfast flashpoint on Monday. Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) want to demonstrate as up to 100 Apprentice Boys and a march past the Nationalist area.

The Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents Association has already been given permission to hold a protest numbering 100 people. GARC spokesman Dee Fennell said the ddecision on a second protest was taken after consultation with residents. ” We carried out a number of consultations and had a meeting to consider going through proper channels or just go ahead because that’s what loyalists have been doing,” he said. ” For our part, GARC remain fully committed to having dialogue with any and all the loyal orders, either face to face or through agreed intermediaries, in order that they get a representive feeling of the vast majority of Greater Ardoyne Residents – that no sectarian marches are welcome.” A spokesman for the Parades Commission said GARC’s application will be considered today.

WITH MANY THANKS TO : Connia Young, Irish News.

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SEAN MAC DIARMADA 1916 SOCIETY – ARDOYNE – BEAL FEIRSTE REPUBLICAN TOUR !

 

POSTED ON BEHALF OF :  James Connolly Béal Feirste.

 

” ONE SIDED NATURE OF POLICING ” !

APPEALS DECISION SLAMMED !

THE FAILURE BY members of an Ardoyne residents group to overturn their convictions for staging a sit-down protest during a disputed Orange Order parade highlights the one-sided nature of Policing against republicans, a spokesman for the group has said.

Yesterday ( Wednesday 16th May ) eight men, including some members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC), had their appeals against conviction in relation to a sit-down protest on the Crumlin Road last July rejected. The eight, including GARC spokesman Dee Fennell, were ordered to pay the £400 fines imposed in December last year. So far a total of 28 people have been convicted in relation to the blockade, which preceded three days of violence in the area. Speaking to the North Belfast News yesterday Fennell said the failure of the appeal brings into focus the comparatively low number of arrests in relation to recent high profile loyalist protests, including the December 2010 protest outside Belfast City Hall over a decision by Sinn Fein mayor Niall O’ Donnghaile not to present an army cadet with an award, anddisturbances during the loyalist Tour of the North Parade in June 2011 when loyalist protesters were seen climbing on Police vans and drinking in the street. ” This just clearly shows the one-sided nature of Policing of parades here,” said Fennell. ” Loyalists seem to be able to protest willy-nilly yet when a group of nationalists hold a peaceful, non-violent sit-down protest against a Orange Order parade they are dragged through the courts. It highlights the continuing demonstration and criminalization of the Ardoyne community.

So far there have been no arrests for the protest at Belfast City Hall because police say no formal statements of complaint were made. There have also been no arrests for the Tour of the North disturbances. A police spokesman also confirmed that there had been no arrests in connection with a 2010 loyalist blockade at the enterance to the Asda supermarket on the Shore Road in support of Asda worker Billy Hunter who was saked for allegedly making a sectarian comment. He subsequently got his job back. Furthermore,there has only been one youth charged in connection with rioting in Rathcoole in October 2010. ” Nationalists have the right to protest peacefully against unwanted loyalist parades in their area, but this is not reflected by the Policing.”

The police spokesman said they ” always seek to make policing decisions to the benefit of the entire community”. ” We do recognise that sometimes policing decisions can be controversial but we would again assure people that any decisions we take are based upon the prevailing need at the time and with the intention of preventing any harm to the community,”     he said. Dee Fennell said the eight who failed in their appeal are willing to go to jail rather than pay the fines. He added that GARC will continue to stage peaceful protests against Orange Order parades through Ardoyne. The eight men who appealed were Dee Fennell; Daniel Lundy; John Darragh; Paul Carson; Alan Lundy; William Catney; Robert Jackson and Aiden Ferguson.

WITH THANKS TO : GEMMA BURNS, NORTH BELFAST NEWS.

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NO PAYMENT DETAILS FOR PARADES INITIATIVE LEADER !

Lord John Alderdice is examining if progress can be made ahead of the controversial Twelfth parade in Ardoyne in July. It is part of ongoing attempts to avoid a repetition of the violence seen in recent years during the marching season. Last year the violence following the Orange Order parade past nationalist homes in Ardoyne lasted for four days. With only eight weeks until July 12, no resolution between nationalists and the Orange Order has been met. The North Belfast News understands Lord Alderdice has only met with nationalists parades group Crumlin Roadand Ardoyne Residents’ Association (CARA),

once since the announcement of his involvement in the parading issues last month, giving rise to fears no agreement will be made and lead to a repeat of previous years’ violence clashes. A spokesman for the Parades Commission refused to say how much the former Alliance party is being paid to carry out his role. ” The Parades Commission invited Lord Alderdice to examine if progress could be made or agreement reached around parading in Ardoyne,” he said, ” To date he has had a number of meetings with different groups in different formats and more are planned. In asking him to carry out this work the Commission acknowledged Lord Alderdice’s international reputation in community relations and peace-building and agreed he should be remunerated for the hours spent on this work at a level appropriate to his experience,” he said.

WITH THANKS TO : GEMMA BURNS, NORTH BELFAST NEWS.

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FAMILY’S FIGHT FOR JUSTICE MOVES ON !

INQUEST INTO BARNEY WATTS DEATH IN 1971 TO BE REOPENED !

THE FAMILY OF a North Belfast man murdered by the British Army more than 40-years-ago said they hope the truth will finally be exposed after the Attorney-General agreed to reopen the inquest into his death.

After more than four decades fighting to clear his name the family of Ardoyne man Barney Watts received notice recently the Attorney General will reopen the inquest into his murder and re-examine the circumstances surrounding his death. Last April the release of the Historical Enquires Team (HET) report into his murder concludes the soldiers ” shot the wrong man” and the findings should allow ” for the consideration of an apology at government level ” for the family.

The father-of-one was shot dead near his home in Hooker Street in 1971 after he had been socialising with a friend in the area. The army claimed at the inquest into his death that they shot the 28 year old because he was about to throw a metal object at them that was alight and later exploded, blowing him six or seven feet into the air. However the soldiers’ version of events were challenged by witnesses and forensic reports, with one forensic scientist who took swabs from Mr Watt’s body concluding no presence of lead had been found. The pathologist who carried out the postmortem also said there was no evidence Barney had been injuried in an explosion.

Barney’s wife Theresa, who was seven months pregnant with her daughter Bernadine at the time of his death, has spent the past 40years with the knowledge her husband was shot for no valid reason. Theresa Watts said this week that she always knew the truth behind her husbands murder but is glad another step on the road to a public acknowledgement of his wrongful death is imminent, ” The truth has to come out, I always knew it,” she said. ” I have waited long enough, it is over 40 years now and I have been knocked back so many times. I just kept trying.”

The Watts’ family Solicitor Padraig O’ Muirigh explained how the family were able to successfully petition the Attorney general to reopen the inquest.” There are a number of changes to the Coroner’s court in recent years which assisted the Watts  family‘s decision to make an application to the Attorney-General to reopen the inquests,” he said. ” The fact that the inquest will have to comply with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The fact that the British soldiers involved in the killings are now compellable witnesses. The fact that the House of Lords has made it clear that the Coroner dealing with an inquest has a generous discretion in relation to the remit of an inquest and the fact that a jury will now be in a position to reach ” findings”. “The decision by the Attorney General is a significant step forward for the families’ quest for truth. ” The Watts family are also considering civil proceedings against the MoD and PSNI in light of these findings. I have also written to the British Secretary of State, Owen Patterson, the British Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox, and General Sir Peter Wall, Chief of the General Staff of the British Army to demand an apology for the Watts family for the actions of the British Army.”

WITH THANKS TO : GEMMA BURNS NORTH BELFAST NEWS.

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BEAL FEIRSTE REPUBLICAN TOUR SAT 16th JUNE

Sean Mac Diarmada Society Ardoyne

POSTED ON BEHALF OF :seanmacdiarmada.ardeoin

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‘Ardoyne-style talks’ wanted at Drumcree

Craigavon Council is set to ask the Parades’ Commission to set up a new initiative – similar to one in north Belfast‘s Ardoyne – aimed at resolving the long-running Drumcree dispute in Portadown.

http://www.u.tv/utvplayer/everywhere/player.aspx?vidid=144181&chapid=118274&arti_id=636585e6-3dfc-417b-a49f-85c04f816293&clientid=100000

Orange Order parades have been banned from the Garvaghy Road since 1998 but, while violent scenes of the past have not been replicated in recent years, weekly protests are still held by members of Portadown District.

“I know there’s a small number of people who think that the problem has gone away,” the Ulster Unionist Party‘s Colin McCusker said, having put forward a motion on the issue on Tuesday night.

“But for the 900 members of Portadown District, their families and supporters, this problem still persists.

“We’ve had over 5,000 protests now – it’s still ongoing and I want to see a resolution to it.”

But according to the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition, the issue has already been resolved.

Spokesman Breandan MacCionnaith told UTV: “Coming from the viewpoint of this community, Drumcree has been solved.

“There have been many initiatives over the years – I can’t see what another one’s going to bring to the table.”

He added: “The Orange Order knows that they have a perfectly acceptable, viable route to take them back from Drumcree church into the town centre.”

But Portadown’s District Master Darryl Hewitt disagrees.

“I think any dispute, if one side is not happy with the outcome, then the situation hasn’t been resolved,” he said.

Portadown District certainly are not happy with the current situation and we seek to get a resolution that suits everybody – we have said for these past five years that we’re willing to meet anybody with no pre-conditions.

“And that includes the Garvaghy Road residents.”

The UUP’s motion that the council write to the Parades’ Commission was backed by the DUP and Alliance Party, but opposed by Sinn Féin and the SDLP.

SDLP councillor Joe Nelson said that his party didn’t feel that mediation had worked in the past.

“Unless there’s some new and radical thinking coming forward, we don’t believe that the north Belfast model is particularly going to work in Portadown,” he added.

The motion was passed by majority vote and a letter will be sent to the Parades’ Commission.

WITH MANY THANKS TO : UTV News

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