Éirígí Members Arrested At Stormont Appear In Court On Trumped-Up Charges
Éirígí activists Cormac Ryan and Scott Masterson were granted bail in Belfast's Magistrate's Court this afternoon, Wednesday 9th May. Their release follows that of fellow Éirígí activist Dominic McGlinchey, who was released on Tuesday evening.
The three were arrested on Tuesday morning as they attended a peaceful protest in opposition to the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Stormont Castle.
The RUC/PSNI again launched a heavy-handed security operation as supporters of Cormac and Scott gathered outside Laganside Court. At one stage, friends and relatives were refused access to the court, allegedly under public order legislation.
In the courtroom itself, onlookers were flanked by uniformed and plain-clothed officers, who made derogatory comments as the personal circumstances of the accused were read out.
Scott Masterson, speaking after his release, dismissed the charges against all three -
"the RUC/PSNI are clearly engaging in their tried and tested methods for suppressing political dissent. We were engaged in a completely peaceful and legitimate protest when the RUC/PSNI decided to attack it with a view to bringing spurious charges against demonstrators. I can say, without any doubt, that no police were struck by anyone during the course of yesterday’s protest."
Éirígí spokesperson Dáithí Mac An Mháistir, who was also outside of the court, continued -
"Once again the RUC/PSNI have proven themselves incapable of dealing with political dissent in a proper manner. Despite all the promises of a new dawn in policing in the Six Counties, the forces of the state continue to act as if it is business as usual.
Daithi continued commenting on the irony of the portrayal of Tony Blair as a man of peace
‘While war criminal Blair was being feted in the big hall at Stormont, amid platitudes about peace, democracy and the return to ‘normal’ politics, peaceful demonstrators were being attacked in the very grounds of Stormont.’
Daithi concluded by calling for the charges against all three men to be dropped "If there was any justice in the court system of the six counties the charges against these men would be immediately dropped."
Scott and Cormac are scheduled to appear again in Belfast in a month's time.