Ardoyne Protesters Charged Over Peaceful Protest

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Friday February 25, 2011 11:41 by Ardoyne Republican - Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC)

Contrary to recent comments made by senior members of Sinn Fein and its friends in CARA, the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective are still active and planning for the forthcoming Loyalist marching season.

Contrary to recent comments made by senior members of Sinn Fein and its friends in CARA, the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective are still active and planning for the forthcoming Loyalist marching season. Which will undoubtably negatively impact on Ardoyne and surrounding communities, as it has for decades. Unlike some, our Collective is solely interested in challenging the insistance of the Loyal Orders to march through the Greater Ardoyne community. GARC has no interest in accomodating or facilitating secterian organisations who impose their unwelcome parades through our community.

In recent weeks, upwards of 40 protesters who peacefully blocked the Crumlin Road on July 12th, 2010 have been summonsed to appear at Belfast Magistrate's Court to 'answer' various charges relating to the above protest. GARC stand firmly behind those men and women, most of who are Ardoyne residents and send our solidarity and support to them and their families. We intend mounting peaceful protests against these politically-sponsored charges and ask all political parties and groups to attend and express their disgust!

These charges are a political response by the British State and Stormont Administration to criminalise peaceful protests. It is clear to the Greater Ardoyne community that nothing has changed and those defenders of civil rights continue to be intimidated, arrested and charged. Despite these charges Greater Ardoyne residents will continue to oppose unwelcome secterian marches!
Will the PSNI and PPS be charging the scores of Unionists who regularly block the Upper Crumlin /Hesketh Road and the dozens who also block the Woodvale/Twaddell junctions. Each and every time one of these unwanted parades trample the Ardoyne community? Maybe, they will also issues a summons to every Loyalist protester who prevented workers and customers entry to ASDA's Shore Road complex for four days, last July?

GARC haven't gone away you know........