Hypocritical Criminalising Of Civil Rights Rally

Derry and Strabane People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin:


“Derry stood with the Black Lives Matter rebellion and people of colour in Ireland yesterday. I attended, spoke and helped organise the rally with many others. The political establishment parties sent the PSNI to criminalise the Black organisers of the protest and everyone who attended. 

This was a person of colour led protest for civil rights and the organisers were very brave to continue when they were abandoned and faced racist persecution. The PSNI in addition to using outright intimidation disrupted social distancing planned carefully by organisers and volunteers.


This day and the hypocrisy of the political establishment – some of whom who claim to be ‘civil rights parties’ – will be remembered. Every generation has faced the same hypocrisy. James Connolly was criminalised for opposing the slaughter of world war one. As were the 1968 civil rights generation in Derry. As were those who stood for LGBT+ and women’s equality when it was unpopular. 


The political establishment’s disastrous response to the pandemic has shattered their authority. They abandoned residents and workers in care homes. They abandoned Community care workers. They abandoned meat plant workers. They abandoned call centre workers. They couldn’t inspect workplaces but they can send scores of police to crimalise a civil rights protest. 

Every citation and prosecution notice issued yesterday should be dropped. 


We continue to fight and organise for the Ireland we want to see based on solidarity, equality and justice.”