Falls and Shankill to march united in support of the Fire Fighters

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday December 06, 2002 15:52 by Davy Carlin - West Belfast Firefighter Support Group and Socialist Workers Party

Historic march in solidarity with the Fire Fighters next Saturday in West Belfast.

On saturday 14th Dec the gates on the Springfield Road peace line shall open to allow a march through from the Shankill Road. This march though will not see a protest from people from the Falls Road or the Springfield Road but in fact will see people from those areas joining in and supporting it.

No this is not a pipedream, it is in fact a situation which will show support and solidarity for our firefighters and Fireservice. Called by the West Belfast Firefighter Support Group in conjunction with the the Belfast Trades Council and the Fire Brigades Union, trade unionists will come from up and down the Falls Road and meet at Lanark Way at 1.45pm {facing Kashmir Bar}. With union banners they will then march up the Springfield Road joined by community activists.

In a similar situation trade unionists and community activists on the Shankill Road will meet at 1.45pm at Woodvale Ave and through the peace line they shall march. Now members of the FBU with other trade unionists and local community activists from 'both sides' of the divide will march together with a banner 'FALLS AND SHANKILL COMMUNITIES TOGETHER DEFEND OUR FIRESERVICE.

The march shall then go to the local West Belfast fire station where a rally and speeches will take place. Such a march will not only offer support for the firefighters but is symbolic of the cross community support such issues can deliver and in the process attempt to bring sections of our 'communities' closer together under a common cause. This is an important issue that 'both communities' could support as one.
DAVY CARLIN - WEST BELFAST FIREFIGHTER SUPPORT GROUP