Wicklow Republicans Oppose Windsor Visit
Following the recent indication by the Dublin government that Elizabeth Windsor will be invited on a state visit to the Twenty-Six Counties, Éirígí Cill Mhantáin activists, joined by other republicans and socialists, held a day of action on Friday [July 23] in the People’s Park on Main Street, Inbhear Mór [Arklow].
Éirígí’s Adrian O’Reilly said: “Republicans and socialists are rightly appalled by Brian Cowen’s decision to invite Elizabeth Windsor on a state visit while his administration refuses much needed funding for the Justice for the Forgotten campaign.
“Fianna Fáil and the Green Party don’t seem to care that Elizabeth Windsor is the commander-in-chief of Britain’s armed forces. These are the same armed forces that are currently occupying the Six Counties and waging a war of aggression against the people of Afghanistan.”
O’Reilly continued: “Our aim on Friday was to highlight to the people of Wicklow the lies that the likes of Brian Cowen and Mary McAleese are telling in order to facilitate a state visit by Elizabeth Windsor. Relations between Britain and Ireland are not normal; they are from it in fact. The British government continues to forcibly partition Ireland, using a vast apparatus of occupation, including 5,000 British soldiers, 9,000 paramilitary police and hundreds of MI5 operatives, to enforce its unwanted presence. This is the core reason why Elizabeth Windsor should not be invited on a state visit to the Twenty-Six Counties.
“It has been estimated that the security bill for a Windsor visit would be in the region of €8-10 million [£6.7-8.3 million]. Éirígí totally disagrees with wasting public money on British royal visits. At a time of economic crisis, we demand funding for employment and housing, not propaganda stunts aimed at legitimising the occupation of the Six Counties.”