PSNI Riot Squad Remove the Right to Protest!

antrim | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday June 27, 2009 20:56

by éirígí PRO - éirígí

Members of the PSNI riot squad, backed by armoured jeeps and dogs, today blocked éirígí protesters from even reaching protest assembly point in Belfast city centre.

The unchanged nature of policing in the Six Counties was again exposed today when the PSNI riot squad blocked Belfast's Castle Street for close to an hour. Those looking on could have been forgiven for thinking that some form of major public order incident was unfolding, as dozens of masked and heavily armoured paramilitaries decamped from their armoured jeeps, only to start pushing and shoving people back up the street.

So what was it that triggered such a show of force? Rioting protesters? Marauding football hooligans? Drunken yobs?

No. Today the PSNI riot squad, complete with attack dogs, was deployed to stop people attending a peaceful picket outside of City Hall.

While draconian British legislation grants the PSNI the power to prevent what they deem to be 'illegal processions' those stopped today were not marching or part of any procession. Instead they were walking on the footpath to the assembly point of the picket - which had been called in opposition to the raising of Britain's so-called 'Armed Forces Flag' on City Hall.

So as a flag celebrating one arm of Britain’s occupation forces was raised over Belfast, another wing of those same occupation forces were busy suppressing any sign of opposition.

From the events today it is clear that Belfast city centre remains a cold house for republicans.

Moving Towards City Centre