Peter McBride

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday September 05, 2002 14:19 by publo

----- Original Message ----- From: Pat Finucane Centre To: PFCNEWS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 3:24 PM Subject: Peter McBride - update

Supporters of the family of Peter McBride, who were peacefully handing out leaflets demanding the sacking of the two Scots Guards who murdered Peter 10 years ago today, were forcibly removed from the Tower Of London at just after 2.00 this afternoon.

They were escorted out of the tower by security staff, who threatened to call the police if they did not stop handing out the leaflets. The protest then moved to the main entrance to the tower, where a banner demanding justice for the McBride family was unfurled, and leafleting continued despite the threat to call the police to stop the peaceful and legitimate protest. The Scots Guards are currently providing the ceremonial guard at the tower.

Also today, following the strong condemnation of Tony Blair’s stance on the issue by SDLP leader Mark Durkan, Alliance Party leader Seamus Close also condemned Blair’s inaction over the continued retention of the two Scot’s Guards. Speaking on Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme he said that: "This is a human rights issue and Tony Blair must address it instead of playing Pinky and Perky with George Bush."

Protest actions have also taken place in Belfast, Sheffield and Preston.

The Pat Finucane Centre, on behalf of the McBride family, would like to thank all of those who took part in protest actions today and again urge people to voice their opposition to the continued retention of the two convicted murderers in the British army by contacting one or more of the following:

PM Tony Blair: remote-printer.Hon_Tony_Blair@441718399044.iddd.tpc.int

Tel Downing St at 0207 930 4433 Fax 0207 925 0918

Contact the Armed Forces Minister at public@ministers.mod.uk Tel 0207 2186666

Contact the Ministry of Defence at webmaster@army.mod.uk

Tel Adjutant General Secretariat 01980 615979

The British Information Service in the USA Public.Enquiries@newyork.mail.fco.gov.uk

British High Commission, Australia Phone: (02) 6270 6666 (main switch) Fax: (02) 6273 3236
British High Commission, Canada High Commissioner: Sir Andrew Burns

Deputy High Commissioner: Richard Codrington
Email: rcodrington@britainincanada.org

British Defence Liaison Staff, Canada Defence Adviser: Brigadier Chris Day
Tel.: (613) 237 1542 x 369

The British Embassy, Germany Tel +49 (0)30 20457-0 info@britischebotschaft.de.