éirígí Internment Protest – Antrim

06/08/08

South Derry éirígí activist Dominic McGlinchey is calling on all republicans, socialists and progressives in the mid-Ulster area to attend the éirígí protest outside Antrim town RUC-PSNI Barracks on Saturday (August 9).

Dominic said: “As August 9 is the 37th anniversary of the introduction of internment in the Six Counties, we’ll be gathering outside Antrim town barracks to mark the date when hundreds of innocent people were carted off to torture centres and onto prison camps.

“August 9 1971 was an important date in modern Irish history and marked an upsurge in support for the freedom struggle. However, recent events have shown that the British government has yet to learn its lesson regarding the lengthy detention of innocent people.

“The recent passing of 42-day detention legislation in the British House of Commons poses a threat to both Irish republicans and vulnerable communities in Britain. Given the British government’s appalling human rights record, there is no doubt that this legislation will be used for the worst possible purposes.

“The British government will be encouraged by the almost complete silence with which this legislation was greeted in Ireland. From a human rights point of view, this silence is worrying and will indicate to the British establishment that they can once again get away with holding people for lengthy periods of time without charge or trial.”

Dominic concluded: “Saturday’s event will hopefully break some of the silence on the issue and will be taking place in coordination with other protests around the country.”