The story of the rioting on the Crumlin Road on the evening of 12 July and the following days continues to unfold and it is becoming clear that people came from far and wide to take part in the riots, which were encouraged by dissident republicans.
The PSNI have published photographs of epople participating in the riots and they are gradually being identified with the intention of charging them and bringing them before the courts. This is very important in terms of sending out a warning that such criminal behaviour is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. It also helps to build confidence in the police and the legal system. Too often I hear people say that there is no point in calling the police when a crime is committed because 'they do nothing' and 'the ones that do it just get away with it.'
We need to see the culprits before the courts and we need to see the courts hand out appropriate punishments. There were rioters who were intent on murder.
Strange as it may seem Nelson, there is now almost total opposition to secterian parades marching through the Ardoyne community.
ReplyDeleteUnionists may well wish to link this with dissident Republicans and the like. However, they are missing a major point: The legacy of the Holy Cross Blockade of 2001 burns deep into the minds of Ardoyne residents and as such is far from forgiven!
Many of those who witnessed the shameful mistreatment of their young sisters and relatives were largely responsible for the recent riots over the Twelfth.
Although, I strongly disagree with rioting, I accept that the sight of Loyal Orders being forced through by thousands of riot-clad Police does to a large extent provoke younger people into seeking conflict.
Therefore, I suggest that all future parades are suspended until an agreed solution can be found?
It is a fact that people came from far and wide to riot.
ReplyDeleteIt is also a fact that without the threat of violence from republicans there would be no need for 'riot-clad police'.
To suspend parades would be to pander to the violence and the sectarianism of the rioters.
With all due respect Nelson, many of those who were involved in the Ardoyne riots, yes. However, most of those came from Ardoyne and the surrounding areas - FACT! Most of who witnessed terrible and shameful activities on behalf of the RUC/PSNI removing PEACEFUL protesters off the road.
ReplyDeleteTo suspend parades through greater Ardoyne would be seen as a politically mature act which could go some way in addressing all the outstanding issues regarding sectarian organisations wanting to march.
GARC is not a republican and threatened protests not violence, if you don't accept that then ask for the minutes of the meeting GARC held with a senior PSNI Commander days before the Twelfth.
Please don't ponder to all the dribble some have alleged against GARC. As there is absolutly no evidence that GARC are not a proxy for any armed Republican group - we are a residents collective who represent residents.
The GARC protest, which involved blocking a road by sitting on it, in order to stop a lawful parade, was an illegal protest.
ReplyDeleteYou may describe yourselves as a 'residents collective' but you still called people from far and wide to participate in the protest, not just residents.
According to newspaper reports this morning, two teenagers have appeared in court in relation to the rioting. One of them, aged 13, was described as 'not from the Ardoyne area'.
ReplyDeleteThe court also heard how a masked group went to a house, threatened the houseowner with a golf club, and demanded the car parked in his drive. A youth was seen beating the vehicle with a golf club while a mob set it on fire with a petrol bomb. Later a teenager was arrested at his home, with a quantity of cannabis.
Is this the future imagined by Wolfe Tone? Is that what the 'republican heroes' of 1916 died for? Are these the 'cherished children' of the nation?
Nelson, as has been outlined many times by GARC.....
ReplyDeleteWe called for a PEACEFUL & DIGNIFIED protest on the Twelfth. Which whether others like it or not, it was the above. Everyone accepts that, no GARC activists were involved in anyway with the riots which took place afterwards....
As a matter of fact, GARC are on public record calling on those rioting to desist from acts of violence as they only detracted from the core issue: sectarian marches through our community!
Therefore, your post is disingenious because we have never nor will we ever condone riots or violence.
Regards Wolfe Tone, the 1916 Signitories or even Bobby Sands....Those questions should be posed to Republicans not GARC. We are a residents group/collective, nothing more. We certainly haven't claimed to be anything other than that.
We do however, welcome dialogue between yourself, even like this because it is a good way to explore one another's points of view and learn to respect each other and for that, thanks.
I am not sure that sitting down on a road is exactly dignified and the GARC protest was certainly illegal.
ReplyDeleteWell Nelson, we'll put it down to a difference of opinion about whether or not sitting on a road was dignified.....
ReplyDeleteHowever, the issue about whether or not the actual protest was illegal or not. Sure, we can leave that up to the Courts to decide....
Let's hope though that the PSNI also charge protesters who also blocked ASDA on the Shore Rd for some four days. Will you as an elected representative be calling on the Police to have these people charged, just curious?
I was not at the ASDA protest and have no direct information on what form the protest took. However I was on the Woodvale Road on 12 July and saw the protest and the violence - albeit through binoculars - and then watched the television footage.
ReplyDelete