Daily Ireland: McVerry says death in Garda custody a factor in riots - alternative narrative emerges
dublin |
arts and media |
opinion/analysis 
Tuesday February 28, 2006 16:43
by James Reilly
Story in Daily Ireland - followed up (ripped off!) by Evening Herald – also discussed in RTE's Liveline – Costello breaks unwritten establishment rule – rebuked by Labour leader
Radical Jesuit priest Father Peter McVerry puts some of the incoherent anger seen on Saturday to role of police in inner city areas - in particular death ("murder" say Wheelock family) of Terence Wheelock in Garda custody. He says a combination of circumstances was fortuitous for the expression of this anger.
Stories reproduced here – Herald 'ripped off' the story because they did not name Daily Ireland as the source. They referred instead to Father McVerry speaking to a “a republican newspaper”.
Lively discussion on RTE’s Liveline – McVerry very able to handle the “they are all scumbags” detractors and various assorted blueshirts voicing their disappointment at this unlikely turn of events.
CHAOS
See also Herald story on “Chaos not organized say Gardai”. They have to say that, though it is possibly true, since the Gardai can’t be blamed for ‘spontaneity’. Usually the police mind suggests that everything is a well-planned conspiracy by a small group of evil conspirators – not tenable here since the Gardai would be expected to know about it through ‘intelligence’ and to plan accordingly. Since there was no plan by the boys in blue, ergo, they did not know what was coming down the pipe and therefore it was not planned by anyone.
Simple really.
COSTELLO
Joe laid low by unwritten rule of the establishment: don’t attack parliamentary opponents, or question those tasked with defending the state, when there is an opportunity (no matter how tenuous the evidence) to bash Gerry Adams and his pals. Joe did not adhere to the script – how long can he last in New (Stalinist) Labour?
Good one Evening Herald – thanks for bringing this one to our attention.
Evening Herald follow up (rip off!) that lead to Liveline discussion
Joe Costello laid low after breaking unwritten establishment rule
Comments (7 of 7)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Protest for Justice for Victim of Garda: Justice for Terence Wheelock
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/73380&comment_limit=0&c...40454
‘Hatred of gardaí’ helped to fan riot, says priest
http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_ticket=1...opp=1
FR PETER MCVERRY STATES THAT DEATH OF TERENCE WHEELOCK IN GARDA CUSTODY WAS TO BLAME FOR LOVEULSTER
"FR PETER MCVERRY today claimed through a tabliod newspaper the EVENING HERALD that the dissafected youth of dublins nth innercity clashed with the gardai because of the death of the late TERENCE WHEELOCK from summerhill d1.
He stated in the article that youths fought with police because of the 20year olds death in store st garda station. he said "youths in the area hate the gardai the believe terence was murdered . there has been an increase since terence's death in the hatred to gardia in the area. kids as young as 5 and6 trow stones at gardai"
IT would be fair to say that theres an anger in the area because of terence death his family are calling for an independent public in quirie in to the suspicious circumstances sourrounding his death.
But ,the WHEELOCK family deplore the violence that eruppted on oconnel st love ulster march......................."
from the thread below:
McVerry was not supportive of the rioters. He said it was a factor that has to be seriously considered and he knows the young people and the area very well. McVerry was in complete agreement with Terence Whellock's brother on the issue on Liveline.
I didn’t expect the Whellock family, who accuse the gardai of murdering Terence, to be very happy with the unwanted association but, with all due respects, that is beside the point.
The methods used by the rioters from that part of the city were incoherent, a product of an inability to articulate their concerns, as well as a sign of deep alienation.
I don't support what they did either, but that does not stop these alienated youth from using a "fortuitous circumstance" (to use McVerry's words on Liveleine) to express their anger at the gards.
i would just like to state that myself and my family are not in agreeance with what Fr mc Verry said o live line today. the roiting that happened in O'Connell street on saturday was in no way related to the death of my late brother terence. what happened, happened out of oppertunisim not premeditated with or on behalf of my family. our campaign has always been of a peacefull and dignified maner and will continue to be of that nature. All we want is justice thats what our campaign is about. not getting jusice through voilent means. We wou;d like people of a non voilent nature to support us in our campaign for truth and justice.There will be a peaceful protest out side Dail Eireann on the 23rd of march 06.
I can understand why the Wheelock campaign wants to emphasise that Terence's case had nothing to do with the riots. However, I do think that cases such as Terence's and the routine beatings that working class young men take from the guards are part of the reason why the Gardai are so unpopular in certain parts of the city. Having said that, I think that the case of Terence's death is one of the clearest cut cases of police wrongdoing that I have ever heard of. Why did they redecorate the cell before it could be examined? Where did the bruises come from? Why haven't they given the clothes back? Why did they insult the family by removing the flowers from Store Street? This is one campaign that everybody who cares about justice should support.
I am deeply disappointed and offended that political representatives use extreme abusive language like scum and thug. These words should not be used in relation to any of our citizens. Where public order offences happen there is a procedure of arrest and court. I am very surprised at the use of such language explicitly - or implicitly by silence - across the political board. These are not the words of peace and reconciliation. These are not the words of analysts and listeners and observers and intelligent and thoughtful leaders. It would be interesting to know how many citizens were comfortable with this march. Please listen. Political representatives, surely you can do better than this both in your decision-making and response to crisis. Those in opposition are paid to maintain a check and balance. Live your role! Do not wash your hands when the going gets tough.
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