Updated with Audio: Fracas in Fermanagh: Adams and the term “bas***ds”

So, Rodney Edwards decided to go along to a Sinn Fein public meeting tonight in Fermanagh where the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams TD was speaking. Social media was set ablaze tonight when he tweeted these comments from Adams

. @GerryAdamsSF on “bigotry” in unionism: “The point is to break these bastards – break them with equality. That’s the republican strategy.”

listen to ‘Gerry Adams on "bigotry" in unionism: 'the point is to break these b****rds'’ on audioBoom

— Rodney Edwards (@rodneyedwards) November 24, 2014

After the stir caused by Gregory Campbell over the weekend, it didn’t take long for the DUP to respond with their own condemnation tonight from the comments made. Speaking on behalf of the party Arlene Foster said

Respect is a two-way street. The hyperbole from republicans over recent days has been exposed as hypocrisy. Republicans use the Irish language as a weapon and tonight Gerry Adams confirms that they view equality as another weapon to attack unionists, or “these b******s” as he would term us.

Will Sinn Fein now unleash a tirade of outrage against their Party President or will they once again stand behind him as they have over his denial of IRA membership, his involvement in Jean McConville’s murder or the cover-up of sexual abuse.

On Saturday John O’Dowd told us that if any Sinn Fein member was disrespectful to someone’s culture they would be expelled by Martin McGuinness. Gerry Adams has been disrespectful to an entire community. We await details of the disciplinary hearing.

I understand that Adams made these comments during a Q&A section of the meeting (no idea what question was asked) but he has tweeted that his reference was not to all Unionists;

I shudn’t call bigots,racists or homophobes bastards.Mea culpa.But equality IS the only way 2 break them. & education &end 2 sectarianism.

— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) November 24, 2014

I doubt this will be enough to satisfy everyone, but there is a link to the audio of the remarks below, what do you think about his remarks?

David McCann

David McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs