Saturday, February 25, 2006
Nationalists condemn Dublin rioters…
Alban Maginness: “It is disturbing that marchers have been prevented from peaceful demonstration. This action of extreme republicans simply plays into hands of those of unionist right who cannot conceive unionist rights being upheld in a New Ireland.” Gerry Adams: “There is no justification for what happened this afternoon in Dublin. Sinn Féin had appealed to people to ignore this loyalist parade and not to be provoked by it. Our view was that it should not be opposed in any way and we made that clear”.
Sinn Fein Dail Deputy Sean Crowe:
“Willie Frazier and the Love Ulster campaign came to Dublin today to be provocative and get a reaction. Sinn Féin urged people not to be provoked and to stay away and the vast majority of Dubliners, including members and supporters of Sinn Féin, did just that. It is disappointing that a small number of individuals did exactly what Willie Frazier wanted. There is absolutely no justification for the disgraceful scenes, which occurred in the city centre this afternoon. I would call on those involved to end their confrontation with Gardaí immediately.”
Mick Fealty @ 05:38 PM
Mick
Might as well note the other available quotes, so far - RTÉ report
President Mary McAleese said: ‘The unnecessary violence which erupted in Dublin city centre today is totally unacceptable.’
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who witnessed the aftermath of the violence on O’Connell Street, said there was no excuse for what he termed ‘disgraceful scenes’.Mr Ahern said: ‘It is the essence of Irish democracy and republicanism that people are allowed to express their views freely and in a peaceful manner.
‘People who want only to attack gardaí and property have no respect for their fellow citizens.’
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said today’s actions are those of vicious thugs, and represent not only an attack on the police and property but also an attack on our democracy.
The Tánaiste, Mary Harney, described the violence as ‘most unfortunate and counterproductive’.
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said the violence has brought shame to our capital city.
..
Republican Sinn Féin, which organised what it said was a peaceful demonstration against the parade, claimed it was ‘irresponsible’ of the authorities to allow the march to go ahead.
Jeffrey Donaldson of the DUP, who was in Dublin today for the march, said he was ‘appalled’ by the violence.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 06:21 PMDermot Ahern statement below: links it to wider issues.
Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern on violent scenes in Dublin - 25th February 2006
·I condemn the scenes of violence witnessed in Dublin today.
·All efforts to provoke sectarian conflict on our island must be vigorously opposed.
·To that end, I call on all political leaders to distance themselves from today’s actions and to roundly condemn all such efforts.
·There can be no place in modern Ireland for sectarian attacks, or efforts to exploit such attacks for political gain.
ENDS+++
25th February 2006
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 06:27 PM“One of the buses carrying them home was attacked by stone throwers as it approached the border town of Dundalk in County Louth.
Ulster Unionist, Michael Copeland, who was on board, said the rioters had nothing to offer society.”
A bus gets pelted because the people inside were unionist.
:(
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 06:46 PM1.A free kick to all those unionists who regard the Republic as hostile.
2.how was the march going to promote the cause of victims in any casePosted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 06:49 PMTiny - it has been remarked on before that they were marching as a protest to call on the Dublin government to hold an enquiry into he state support of the IRA. That seems to have been lost in a media referring to it as a “Love Ulster” march.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:01 PMHow are Unionists going to be involved in the aftermath, how do they want the Free State to react? (Rather than ‘its appalling’/’disengagement ‘ by the Unionists)
OFF-TOPIC:
Is it optimistic of me to consider a council of the Isles to take over from bipartisan Dublin/London pointless dialogue when Edinburgh and Cardif are going to have as good a voice as any, and promote a range of viewpoints with a desire for progress on (m)any issue(s) rather than a log jam and a holding of democracy to randsom by the DUP/Sinn Fein. Scotland and Wales have their own forms of devolved government who’s progress or lack of progress would give a breath of fresh air to the current agenda. Of course they may consider it an SEP (Someone Elses Problem).
A Wider Celtic conspiracy to replace the pan-nationalist agenda, it would be nice if Dublin could be a focus for people from Scotland and Wales, rather than for them to fall by default towards London.
Turloch
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:07 PMLove Ulster is an organization which would rather engage in silly stunts rather than work towards genuinely improving things and securing a permanent end to all violence in Northern Ireland. Why can’t unionists stop this nonsense and just sit down to all party talks ?
That said, the attacks on them are an outrage. Unfortunately, those attacks will make the LU silly agenda appear to have credibility.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:08 PMI have said on this site that the problem in northern Ireland was driven by unionist bigotry. It looks like the Free state has a few bigots of their own.
The best thing would have been to ignore these “love ulster/hate taigs” marchers.
Now they have a bunch of free publicity and look like victims.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:18 PMWhat about what the Dublin people want?
It’s not up to michael mcdowell to decide that the ORANGE ORDER march down our most historic street. The scenes in Dublin today were disgusting and although i don’t speak for the whole of Dublin i don’t think any dub wants these pretenders marching on our streets. KEEP THEM OUT.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:24 PMNow they have a bunch of free publicity and look like victims.
I wouldn’t worry too much if I was you.Most of them have had family members killed by the IRA, but that hasn’t granted them victim status in the eyes of most Irish people, so I doubt todays events will.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:25 PM“It’s not up to michael mcdowell to decide that the ORANGE ORDER march down our most historic street”.
Anon.
The Orange Order were not attempting to march down your “most historic” street.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:52 PMThe “Free State” - would these republican loonies ever get the message that the people of Ireland want nothing to do with their disgusting policies and that the country’s name is “Ireland”.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 07:53 PManon “It’s not up to michael mcdowell to decide that the ORANGE ORDER march down our most historic street.”
Actuallly it is. We have this thing called a “general electon” every 5 years (I know the concept of democracy is pretty new to some republicans) and we elect people to make decisions like this. If you don’t like them, you’ll get a chance to change the government next year, but EVERY party in the Dail has supported McDowell in this decision so best of luck trying to find someone who doesn’t support the right of free demonstration.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 08:29 PM“It’s not up to michael mcdowell to decide that the ORANGE ORDER march down our most historic street”.
It is in fact. As the Minister responsible he is the one who has to make the decision. I don’t know of a single TD who objected to the decision either so it certainly had sufficient democratic legitimacy.
What was the democratic basis for the riot, the vandalism and the robbery that took place on our most historic street today?
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 08:32 PMSinn Fein Dail Deputy Sean Crowe:
“Willie Frazier and the Love Ulster campaign came to Dublin today to be provocative and get a reaction.”
There you go.. no matter what unionists do to protest to highlight an injustice SF/IRA will always say it was to provoke a reaction.
Just remember those who attacked the police also had the option not to attack the police. Unfortunatly their bigotry was the main driving force behind theeir actions, this will always be the case.
Believe me, no unionist was surprised at the outcome. The poor old Irish it is always someone else to blame isn’t it? But not this time.
Republicans failed to be democratic and the Irish Government failed to let democracy take place, there you have both the government and the people of the republic of Ireland failed on all accounts.
Some say that a united Ireland has been set back many years/ Have I got news for you, unionists don’t want a United Ireland so it’s not going to happen and I believe that todays actions by the Irish in Dublin has cemented that belief.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 08:56 PMfrom fair deal
Most of nationalist Ireland goes for clear condemnation while the Sinn Fein Dail Deputy does even not manage a condemnation followed by a but, he begins with blaming the Unionists.
Sinn Fein adopted a motion for engagement with the Unionist community and Gerry Adams highlighted it as one of five key strategic aims of republicanism. How do Sean Crowe’s comments fit with the policy and aims of the republican movement?
“How are Unionists going to be involved in the aftermath,”
Unionists will become the discreet blamehounds. Its all terible but.... Followed by others trying to turn the heat onto the Garda (whose only mistake was to think the threat came from the Love Ulster marchers).
“how do they want the Free State to react?”
It’s their country so they can react how they wish. They have their own laws and the expectation would be they enforce them.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 09:22 PMImagine that the majority of the people in NI decided to create a UI with the ROI.
Then imagine the negiations that would be required between London and Dublin to agree the following:
1. A new UI natinal flag.
2. A new UI national anthem.
3. A possible northern assembly based in Stormont.
4. A new UI education system.
5. Reducing the ‘Irish’ identity of the new UI, so as to accommodate increased ‘British’ identity in the new UI.Imagine the riots that would take place if all these changes and many more were to take place so as to ensure that the new UI was equal for all the people of Ireland, including the Unionists.
Remeber a new UI would need to less ‘Irish’ and more ‘British’ to reflect the accommodation of Unionists.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 10:31 PMI think its a bit rich for unionists to have a go at the shinners about todays events especially considering the half hearted condemnations during 6 days of loyalist destruction on the streets of Belfast following the Whiterock orange order parade last summer.
I wonder if any of the orange order members due to take part in today’s parade were on the Springfield Road last summer colluding and organising the mass street riots with loyalist paramilitaries.
If the orange order and those who attend and watch parades are happy and content with the sight of uvf/uda commemoration banners at parades and are happy to watch bands with paramilitary links, they can’t really complain about other lunatics doing the same thing
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 10:31 PM“Imagine that the majority of the people in NI decided to create a UI with the ROI.
Then imagine the negiations that would be required between London and Dublin to agree the following:
1. A new UI natinal flag.
2. A new UI national anthem.
3. A possible northern assembly based in Stormont.
4. A new UI education system.
5. Reducing the ‘Irish’ identity of the new UI, so as to accommodate increased ‘British’ identity in the new UI.Imagine the riots that would take place if all these changes and many more were to take place so as to ensure that the new UI was equal for all the people of Ireland, including the Unionists.
Remeber a new UI would need to less ‘Irish’ and more ‘British’ to reflect the accommodation of Unionists.”
I could tolerate 1,2,3,4 but the ‘British’ identity should be for people themselves and not linked to the State. We are proud of our independence and don’t consider ourselves British.
I don’t accept that the majority of people or even a large % of the people would riot over these changes. These scenes today are almost unheard of in the South. They are a miniscule number of people (300). Don’t forget the 4.2 million who didn’t riot - including me. I resent being lumped in with the tiny number of did. Kindly stop doing that Unionists!
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 11:27 PMThat last “Pete Baker7” post was me, Brian Boru (Again).
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 11:30 PMThese pictures sickened and shocked me more than anything else I’ve seen today.
It’s some poor asian guy being dragged out of a Centra supermarket and set upon by the mob.The pictures can be found here
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~z/today/
I found the link at indymedia here.
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/74504
I don’t know who these people think they are representing, but maybe we can all agree that we need to do something about the bastards?
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 11:46 PMBertie condemns republican violence in Dublin City Centre eh? Wouldn’t have wanted him on my side in 1916. Bertie, when people claim sovereignty over part of your country, you resist. When they come and expect apologies for that resistance they really are dreaming. Get off your West Brit lackey knees and start campaigning for a united Ireland - the aggregate will of the majority of the population in the island in case you’ve forgotten (you didn’t have the guts to put ‘Who wants a united Ireland?’ on the Good Friday Agreement ballot paper did you, just in case the punters voted yes). FF the republican party - yes, sure you are Bertie, when you prop up a sectarian head count six county statelet.
Posted by on Feb 25, 2006 @ 11:47 PMPosted by Kathy C no matter what name is on the bottom ;o(
Hi all,
Finbar...I agree with you! I stated on another thread that I’m sure there were many in the Irish Press and Irish politicans who were against the Easter Rising of 1916 and those who stood up to the british....
in many ways those people who opposed the unionist/orange order from marching in Dublin have a point...it is simlilar to Jews and Poles not wanting a neo nazi group from marching on the streets of the Warsow Ghetto. ...
or the KKK marching in Harlem....it is morally wrong and I think the orange orader members/unionist coming down to march in Dublin is also morally wrong....
Posted by Kathy C no matter what name comes after this...and it is funny that no one else seems to be having this problem...just me Kathy CPosted by on Feb 26, 2006 @ 03:08 AMI really feel the need to respond to the last two posts (whoever wrote them !).
I am not a supporter of Willie Frazer, the DUP, the OO etc etc. However, I am an Irish person living in Belfast who is happy to remain part of the British family. Yes, I am Irish and I do not want Northern Ireland to be united with the RoI.
The point that there should be a UI because a majority on the whole island wants this is nonsense. A huge majority on the whole island supported the GFA in a democratic referendum and therefore accepted that NI would remain part of the UK as long as a majority within NI wished it to be so.
Irish Republicans need to wake up to the fact that the Irish are not a homogenous grouping - there are different groups of Irish people with a very different view on our relationship with GB.
To draw analogies between extreme loyalists and the Nazis or the KKK is stupid and those who make such statements are as blinkered and narrow minded as the people they criticise.
G-man
Posted by on Feb 26, 2006 @ 08:59 AMI am also struck by the irony that Irish republicans, who apparently support a UI, criticise Ulster people for parading/protesting in Dublin.
G-man
Posted by on Feb 26, 2006 @ 09:03 AM
