IRSP Protest at Irish Consulate - Belfast
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news report 
Friday February 29, 2008 22:41
by ErnestoLynch - IRSP
Free State Oppression of the IRSP
The IRSP Ard Comhairle learned with dismay and anger of the assault, arrest and detention of our comrades in the Free State last weekend on trumped up charges.
The IRSP have angrily hit out at the recent attempt of the Irish Free State government and its Security Forces to try and smash the IRSP within the 26 Counties.
Party activists today staged a protest outside the offices of the Irish Consulate in the Malone area of Belfast in response to the brutal arrests of their comrades last weekend in the 26 Counties.
Five members of the IRSP have been brutally beaten and arrested, remanded and charged with false charges of INLA membership. There is absolutely no evidence to support these allegations. One of those detained and beaten was Eddie Mc Garrigle, who has been confined to a wheelchair for 20 years. His face was smashed with the butt of a Garda Special branch rifle and he sustained a broken nose along with other injuries. Two others were beaten so badly they believed they were about to be assassinated by the State.
At todays protest was Ard Comhairle spokesperson, Mr. Paul Little. He stated,
"The IRSP Ard Comhairle learned with dismay and anger of the assault, arrest and detention of our comrades in the Free State last weekend on trumped up charges.
Three of those arrested were pistol whipped by the Garda including IRSP executive member Eddie McGarrigle who received a broken nose, Mr. McGarrigle has been confined to a wheel chair for over 20 years and could offer no resistance to his attackers.
The IRSP are holding a protest picket at the Irish government offices in Notting Hill, Belfast today (29/2/08) at 11.30pm to coincide with the men’s bail hearing in Dublin.
He further added;
“Both The IRSP and those detained completely refute any allegations of criminality by the Irish Government, the IRSP is a bona fide political party and our work on civil rights and political campaigns across the island is well known. These arrests are the culmination of years of harassment by the free state authorities of our party members engaged in normal, legitimate political activity.”
As a matter of course we will be referring the men’s arrest to international and national human rights agencies.