Strabane gets the message 'Free Palestine!'

tyrone | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Monday June 11, 2007 16:18

by Free Palestine - Ógra Shinn Féin

osfnational at yahoo dot ie

While hundreds marched in Dublin for palestine, Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin activists organised a protest on the day of action.

This June marks the 40th anniversary of the Israeli invasion of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The subsequent occupation and ‘brutal subjugation of the Palestinian people’ was the subject of a protest by Ógra Shinn Féin in Strabane on Saturday 9th June.

Spokesperson for Ógra Shinn Féin in Strabane, John McDermott, speaking from the protest said,

“Israeli violations of the norms of civilised behaviour include: Ethnic cleansing, land theft, Home demolition, Collective punishment, Prolonged detention without trial, Use of Palestinians, including children, as human shields, and State sponsored murder.”

“Israel pursues these policies with impunity because it is shielded by the UN Security Council veto of the United States and the moral cowardice of the European Union. It is up to us, the ordinary people, 'the people on the street', to force our governments to stop shielding Israel.”

To highlight these injustices Strabane Ógra Shinn Féin held a white line protest in Strabane town centre. John McDermott continued,

“The events happening in Palestine now remind us of our own past. Irish Republicans and Nationalists know only too well the effects of oppression and injustice. We held this protest to raise awareness for the ongoing tyranny experienced in the West bank, and in Palestine as a whole. We received a positive feedback from the people of Strabane, many unaware of what was happening in Palestine, and again, many relating it to past personal experience. We handed out over 300 leaflets, and we feel that the event was an overall success.”

The spokesperson continued,

“While carrying out our peaceful white line picket, we came under heavy surveillance from the PSNI. Two armoured vehicles and two marked Landovers occupied the town centre for the duration of the protest. Activists were videoed and photographed from numerous vehicles. Exactly what the PSNI was trying to achieve by this is beyond me. This was a blatant attempt by the PSNI to provoke the protestors into a reaction, a reaction they did not get. It appears that the local PSNI officers have serious room for improvement if they are to be accepted within the community. Sinn Fein and Ógra Shinn Féin totally condemn this blatant provocation observed on Saturday. We will be consulting with our members on the policing board and will also be taking a case to the Police Ombudsman for investigation.”

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Comments (9 of 9)

Great Solidarity Strabane

by Anti - Zionist

Mon Jun 11, 2007 16:21

Great to see solidarity like this as far away as Strabane. Great march and from your pics it would seem to be a good protest.

And the PSNI being there, we'll i'd take that as a complement, you must be doing something right to warrant the attention of the state.

Free Palestine but not Ireland

by True Republican

Wed Jun 13, 2007 13:19

They call for the freedom of Palestine but not the freedom of Ireland. Next the Provos will command the Palestinians to cease resistance to Zionist terrorism, as they attempted to command the Basques to cease resistance to Spanish and French Occupation.

As for the RUC being there, they just wish to be with their friends. It saves them from having to go to any trouble to meet their handlers.

True Republican - Yeah Right!

by Really True Repuplican.

Wed Jun 13, 2007 13:54

ÓSF and Sinn Féin have been consistent in calling for Irish Freedom.

But we are also internationalists and will show solidarity against the injustices being meeted out against the world, for instance in Palestine.

Could True Republican, briefly describe his strategy for Unity. Oh not problems, solutions. Lets be constructive comrade.

BTW - great protest Strabane Ógra - keep er Lit!

Simple

Wed Jun 13, 2007 14:27

My strategy is not merely for unity - we had that before partition. My strategy is for FREEDOM.

Following a British declaration of intent to withdraw from Ireland, a Constituent Assembly should be convened, elected by the suffrages of all Irishmen and Irishwomen. This would then draft a new Constitution for the new Ireland. The Republican Movement would give their Éire Nua programme as the Republican proposal. Once the Constituent Assembly has drafted a Constitution, this would be put to the people of Ireland by way of referendum.

The English would have no say.

Dream world RSF

by passer by

Wed Jun 13, 2007 16:39

"Following a British declaration of intent to withdraw from Ireland",

So how you gonna get them to this stage True Republican? You gonna wish them away?

BTW - do you have a problem with Palestine Solidarity. Your not one of this ultra conservative catholic RSF types are you?

Does Adams now see himself as Nelson Mandela?

by Patrick Henry

Wed Jun 13, 2007 19:24

The snide remarks of apologists for Partitionist $inn Fein makes me sick to the stomach. There they sit in their British given positions of power as if this has been some sort of victory. After decades of sending young people out to kill and destroy in the name of Irish freedom they now tell us that all along the way forward was the way of the SDLP. They however sent others out to wage a war therefore they are our rightful leadership.
No longer my friends for there are a growing number who are casting aside their naivety and cannot be bought by lies. There are many of us who realise that violence will achieve nothing, but we don't stand behind others who got to their present positions in nothing more than a puppet government by the use of violence, castigating others for attempting to follow suit no matter how misguided they might be.
Finally how can the Palestinians trust someone so close to Bush? Adams is most definitely no Nelson Mandela.

100% pro-Palestinian

Wed Jun 13, 2007 20:01

I have no problem with solidarity with Palestinians. What I have a difficulty with is the liars who seek to hoodwink the Palestinians as they have hoodwinked the Irish People.

I myself lived in the Middle East for eight years and have the utmost respect for the Arabs.

Adams is seeking a two-state sellout for the people of Palestine, who are being commanded to accept the terrorist Zionist state in Palestine. I pray for the destruction of the Zionist terror state and seek full Palestinian freedom. Likewise I seek the full freedom of Ireland, and not the Provos' other two-state "answer".

The criminal Adams is a Quisling and has no place in Ireland or Palestine.

Finally I congratule Euskadi Ta Askatasuna for resuming hostilities against the occupiers of the Basque Country.

Republicanism is outdated

Wed Jun 13, 2007 20:40

I would direct this question to all those who see themselves as 'Republicans' and 'True Republicans', what exactly is a Republican? Someone who wants a President rather than a Monarch as a ruler? Is that what we have been fighting for? A Bertie Ahern rather than a Queen Elizabeth to rule us? Sure does she really rule Britain or does the sitting lapdog of the USA rule Britain?
My point is this, what is the point in prolonging this obsession with Republicanism as the ordinary person in the street no longer sees Republicanism as a way forward? They vote for Provisional $inn Fein here in the north as a protest against Paisley, they have proven that they don't want a new FF in the south so P$F will remain a small party with no say in the running of the State.
The people need a party with fresh ideas who will work solely for their interests and not do u-turns in order to gain the acceptance of people who hold the means to sitting in Government.
Leave the tag of Republicanism with those who have besmirched it and for the sake of those who died for the betterment of the Irish People I say start from scratch and work for the people and not for the removal of a monarch.

What is a Republican, again?

Thu Jun 14, 2007 16:27

So none of the so-called Republicans, true or otherwise could answer my question; what is a Republican? I was once a Republican, but with age I learnt that what really mattered was the Irish People, the working class Catholic and Protestant, who pay by their labour for the upkeep of our country, while others can come and steal it's true wealth paying backhanders to those we elect to positions of power.
As Republicans we pledged to break the link with Britain, but what about the greater control of the Multi-Nationals like Shell who come and steal our wealth who control our Governments and use our police against us?
No Republicans have always been well meaning to begin with but they eventually side with those who would keep us down. Figureheads have always turned the struggle to their advantage and to the advantage of those faceless puppet masters who control the wealth and therefore the direction of those we look upon as leaders.
Our strength is our unity, the unity of people not boundaries.
How can we support the Palestinians when our leadership stands with their enemies, namely the Bush administration?
Can anyone, including members of Ogra answer my question?

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Strabane gets the message 'Free Palestine!'

Comments (9 of 9)