Ógra Shinn Féin disrupt Securocrat Hugh Orde Lecture

antrim | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Tuesday November 14, 2006 14:39 by SS RUC - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie

Hugh Orde delivered a public lecture last night in Queens University entitled ‘policing the past to police the future’. The event was organised by the institute of criminology and criminal justice at the university. Hugh Orde was joined on the panel by professor Kieran McEvoy (Institute Director) and Judge David Smyth QC (Chair of the Board of Directors), however a few minutes into his speech the Orde was confronted at the front of the lecture theatre by members of ógra who had managed to smuggle a banner into the hall after being refused entry for protesting outside.

The activists held the banner, highlighting the issue of collusion in front of the panel for the duration of Orde’s speech. The concluding question and answer section which took place was then almost completely focused on collusion and state killings, with Hugh Orde being put on the spot on a number of occasions by questions posed by ógra members, members of An Fhirnne and the public.

Commenting on the protest, Chair of the Sheena Campbell Cumann ógra Shinn Féin, who organised the protest, Dermot Keenan said,

“Our protest here tonight can be hailed as a great success in the ongoing struggle to highlight the incidents of Collusion which were directed and executed by the British Government throughout its dirty war fought in Ireland. Tonight Hugh Orde was unwilling to answer questions which must be answered for the families of those killed by state forces, he tried to defend the use of informers and the amnesties they receive even though they hold information which could be used in the prosecution of those involved in state killings. Tonight was a success but much more must be done!”

“The issues of collusion and political policing will not go away and Ógra will be to the fore in ensuring that the PSNI and British Government are held accountable and responsible for their actions. Under or new national campaign A.R.I.S.E we must intensify our actions to deliver the truth. We must continue to campaign to end sectarian and oppressive state policing."