PSNI at Hillsborough April 2002

A Polish blogger and immigrant to Ireland warns of a British divide & conquer tactic in PSNI policing and recruitment efforts....

Mackozer writes: 'For many Poles, joining the police would be an excellent job opportunity, especially for former Polish police officers. They could join the PSNI and receive at least 4 times better salary than in Poland....

[Polish immigrants recruited into the PSNI] would be regarded as alien mercenaries used by British government to show the world that they fulfill the obligations of the 50–50 policy. This can be devastating for the assimilation and integration of Polish people into the Irish society of Northern Ireland. This 'job opportunity' can put all Polish people of Northern Ireland as a piggy in the middle - between two sides of the conflict - and face discrimination from both of them.'

Quote: ''Once a pool of qualified candidates has been formed, the Chief Constable will then appoint trainees on the basis of 50 per cent Roman Catholic and 50 per cent non-Roman Catholic.'' - PSNI

Related Links: RSF says Polish mercenaries not welcome / Last October: Racist attacks on Poles in Finglas / more immigrant news: indymedia.ie/migration / Also see: Free Derry Museum - a Review

Photo Series from GNIB, Sept 20th

''Caoimhe of Residents Against Racism writes: ....one of the women with us was given another date and left with one of the RAR members. The other two women were brought upstairs. We told them not to sign anything and to say that they didn’t want to speak to anybody from their embassy. As soon as the women were brought upstairs, the porter/receptionist came over to the other RAR member and myself and started shouting at us to leave the building if we had no business in it. I informed him that we did have business there and he just kept shouting. He was quite aggressive, pointing his finger in our faces and blatantly trying to intimidate us. We were then kicked out of the (public) building.

One of the women who were brought upstairs, had a judicial review pending and didn’t have her two children with her. She rang us from upstairs (on her mobile) saying that the Guards were trying to make them sign the papers and were bring aggressive towards them. She said that the guards told her that they were deporting her. She also said that she hadn’t signed the papers. It is completely illegal to deport somebody who is still in the legal process. At this stage we informed supportive T.D.s of what was happening, who faxed letters to the GNIB and McDowell, reminding him that this woman had a judicial review pending. She was freed, an hour later....''

asylum seekers removed by gardaí

On Sunday May 14th, a group of up to 41 refugees from war-torn Afghanistan occupied St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin city centre after the Sunday Service. At least seven minors were among the group of men. The group were seeking refugee status in Ireland and decided to go on hunger strike after losing confidence in the asylum application process. Indymedia Ireland began its week-long coverage of this action with this report.

Last night, Saturday May 20th, at around 9:30pm, a large contingent from the Garda Public Order Unit, aka the riot squad, moved into the vicinity of the cathedral. Vans were parked in St Patrick's Close, obscuring the view of the cathedral entrance. The minors, who had previously been made 'wards of the court', i.e. taken into state care, were firstly removed by ambulance. The tension mounted at this point, as the hunger strikers had previously indicated they were prepared to self-harm if any attempt was made to forcibly remove them from St. Patrick's. However, after several hours of negotiation, the Afghans reluctantly came out without resorting to such drastic actions.

As the Garda vans arrived, a small crowd of counter-demonstrators had gathered near the entrance, chanting for the asylum seekers to be kicked out (audio). They were soon outnumbered by supporters of the Afghans, who quickly made their way to the cathedral when the news emerged that the Garda were preparing to move in. The men were put into Garda vans and driven away to chants of "let them stay". One man lay down in front of the vans as they were driving away, but was gently removed by Gardaí (audio). The counter-protestors at this point had been hurling missiles at supporters, and were separated from the main crowd by Gardaí.

Racist Hecklers

This evening's anti-war vigil outside St Patrick's Cathedral attracted roughly 30 to 40 participants, including a number of schoolkids who had maintained a presence since 2pm. Just before the vigil began, one of these kids fainted and had to be removed by ambulance for medical attention.

Throughout the vigil - and for some time before - those there in solidarity, including the schoolkids, were subjected to repeated taunts, abuse and racist chants from a group of local teenagers.

Related Links: Update on Afghan Hunger Strike: Day 4 Wednesday | Belfast Solidarity Picket | Belfast Photos | Questions in the Dail | Statement from volunteer observer | Hunger Strike in Colnbrook Detention Centre | Colnbrook Hungerstrike Solidarity Page | Residents Against Racism | Picket at McDowell's constituency office this Friday | Bush Speech: The American Right Demands a Final Solution for Immigrants

A group of twenty to thirty refugees (UPDATE: numbers are now known to be 41) occupied St. Patricks Cathedral after today’s Cathedral Service. At least three minors are believed to be among the group of men. The group are seeking refugee status in Ireland and decided to hungerstrike after some of their applications were turned down last Friday by the Office of the Refugee Appeals Commissioner. Geen Party TD, Ciarán Cuffe has met some of the men and believes them to be genuine.

Hoping for human rights in Ireland

According to Amnesty International’s 2005 Country Report armed groups in Afghanistan continue to commit abuses against civilians, aid workers, election officials and potential voters. Abduction and rape are reportedly common. The legal system lacks basic provisions for fair trials and executions have been reported. AmnestyUSA reports that some of this violence (including torture) is perpetrated by the US troops currently occupying the war-torn country.

The asylum seekers issued a statement to explain the reason for their drastic decision to go on hunger strike in St. Patricks Cathedral, it states very starkly and clearly the reason why they believe they should be allowed to stay:

We have been in Ireland for years and most of us have been suffering from mental and physical problems besides the mental and physical problems we had in Afghanistan. We want an answer from the Irish Government, Is it life in Ireland or death?

Latest Updates: more join, water refused, show support | church authorities appeal, hungerstrike continues | McDowell responds, Catholic Church quiet | Request quiet night, solidarity is welcomed | Day 3 vigil announced solidarity picket photos|