Green Parties North and South call for Peaceful Protest at Hillsborough

national | miscellaneous | news report Monday April 07, 2003 08:24 by John Barry - NI Green Party j.barry at qub dot ac dot uk 07876597900

The Northern Ireland Green Party leader, Dr. John Barry and the Foreign Affairs spokesperson of the Irish Green Party/Comhantoas Glas, John Gormley TD have issued a joint press statement condemning the visit to Hillsborough by US President George Bush. Members of the Green Parties North and South will join the protests organised by the Irish Anti-War Movement for 6pm tomorrow evening outside Hillsborough. Commenting on suggestions that the PSNI are going to close the village to protesters, Dr. called it an "unnecessary development that indicates the levels of anxiety by President Bush about not wanting to hear the anti-war majority". He also added that he hoped the decision to close Hillsborough Village was not an indication of a "heavy handed and aggressive policing approach to the protests of the sort we recently witnessed outside the Irish Parliament last Wednesday, where the Irish police acted completely unprofessionally and aggressively". He said that

6th April
Green Parties Condemn the Hypocrisy of Bush's Visit and call for Peaceful Non-Violent Protest tomorrow at Hillsborough

The Northern Ireland Green Party leader, Dr. John Barry and the Foreign Affairs spokesperson of the Irish Green Party/Comhantoas Glas, John Gormley TD have issued a joint press statement condemning the visit to Hillsborough by US President George Bush. Members of the Green Parties North and South will join the protests organised by the Irish Anti-War Movement for 6pm tomorrow evening outside Hillsborough. Commenting on suggestions that the PSNI are going to close the village to protesters, Dr. called it an "unnecessary development that indicates the levels of anxiety by President Bush about not wanting to hear the anti-war majority". He also added that he hoped the decision to close Hillsborough Village was not an indication of a "heavy handed and aggressive policing approach to the protests of the sort we recently witnessed outside the Irish Parliament last Wednesday, where the Irish police acted completely unprofessionally and aggressively". He said that "Given the definite prospect of continuing anti-war protest, it was important that the relationship between the police and protest movements and groups be as positive as possible. The democratic rights of people to peaceful protest must be maintained and not reduced or undermined by over-reactions by the police. The management, organisation and policing of anti-war protests is something that needs to be handled in a manner which favours and protects the democratic rights of people to peaceful protest". He called on all those attending tomorrow nights protest and the march organised by the ICTU on Tuesday at 1pm, to "speak truth to power, by being non-violent in opposition to the continuing illegal and immoral state violence being inflicted on Iraq".

The Green Parties North and South also repeated their call on those political representatives who are meeting President Bush and PM Blair meets next week to remind the President that his war is not in their name. In particular so-called anti-war parties here in Northern Ireland such as Sinn Fein, the SDLP, the Alliance and Women's Coalition need to have the courage of their convictions in standing up to Bush, rather than as they recently did, in condemning the war here in Northern Ireland while being only too willing to go and enjoy the US President's hospitality at the St Patrick's celebrations in Washington."

Dr. Barry said, "In terms of this war as a contribution to the 'war on terrorism', there is one thing the people here in Northern Ireland know is that you cannot defeat terrorism with violence. Politics, negotiation, diplomacy and compromise are the only strategies that work. We will be making this point loud and clear for President Bush, PM Blair and the Irish Taoiseach at the protests. The President needs to heard loud and clear that most people are against this war, even if their political leaders and representatives are unwilling or afraid to have the courage of their convictions. The Green Parties North and South are the only true anti-war political parties".

To contact Dr. John Barry, ring 07876597900

ENDS