Willie Frazer – militant Unionist leader in Ireland sporting his Orange Order sash and UDR British Army militia beret
So the big Anti-Interment parade went ahead in Belfast on Saturday commemorating the 1971 introduction by the British state of the mass imprisonment without trial of hundreds of Irish citizens in the Occupied North of Ireland and the British government’s contemporary practice of interment-by-remand (i.e. the arrest and charging of individuals with political offences who are then left in prison for up to three years or more while waiting for an ever-moving trial date). The event was portrayed in the British news media (and by some Irish fellow-travellers) as a “test of strength” for those Republican organisations “opposed to the Peace Process”. Of course the truth was far more complicated than that. Though the likes of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM) and the Republican Network for Unity (RNU) were prominent participants a wide range of non-aligned Republicans were present voicing no support for any organisation in particular but simply marking an important historical injustice against the Irish people and opposition to the current incarnation of it. In fact several smaller political parties including éirígí and the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) were also present in the march.
Aside from the violent reaction of extremists from the British Unionist minority who couldn’t countenance an Irish Nationalist demonstration making its way through the centre of the Nationalist-majority city of Belfast (a reaction which left dozens injured), the parade was important for the numbers who participated despite relatively little organisation before-hand. Several thousand marchers at any political event is noteworthy and for a demonstration without the “official” backing of Sinn Féin in its electoral heartland this was a significant signal of growing dissatisfaction with political movement in the north-east of the country (though that should not be overplayed).
Unfortunately for Sinn Féin some party activists tried to turn Sunday’s SF-sponsored Republican parade in Castlederg marking the deaths on active service of locally-recruited Volunteers of the Irish Republican Army into a counter-show of strength to the big demonstration in Belfast the previous day. Around 500 people participated in what was a widely-publicised and well-funded event leaving a few keyboard-warriors with egg on their face.
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
So the big Anti-Interment parade went ahead in Belfast on Saturday commemorating the 1971 introduction by the British state of the mass imprisonment without trial of hundreds of Irish citizens in the Occupied North of Ireland and the British government’s contemporary practice of interment-by-remand (i.e. the arrest and charging of individuals with political offences who are then left in prison for up to three years or more while waiting for an ever-moving trial date). The event was portrayed in the British news media (and by some Irish fellow-travellers) as a “test of strength” for those Republican organisations “opposed to the Peace Process”. Of course the truth was far more complicated than that. Though the likes of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM) and the Republican Network for Unity (RNU) were prominent participants a wide range of non-aligned Republicans were present voicing no support for any organisation in particular but simply marking an important historical injustice against the Irish people and opposition to the current incarnation of it. In fact several smaller political parties including éirígí and the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) were also present in the march.
Aside from the violent reaction of extremists from the British Unionist minority who couldn’t countenance an Irish Nationalist demonstration making its way through the centre of the Nationalist-majority city of Belfast (a reaction which left dozens injured), the parade was important for the numbers who participated despite relatively little organisation before-hand. Several thousand marchers at any political event is noteworthy and for a demonstration without the “official” backing of Sinn Féin in its electoral heartland this was a significant signal of growing dissatisfaction with political movement in the north-east of the country (though that should not be overplayed).
Unfortunately for Sinn Féin some party activists tried to turn Sunday’s SF-sponsored Republican parade in Castlederg marking the deaths on active service of locally-recruited Volunteers of the Irish Republican Army into a counter-show of strength to the big demonstration in Belfast the previous day. Around 500 people participated in what was a widely-publicised and well-funded event leaving a few keyboard-warriors with egg on their face.
All in all an interesting weekend and not least for the greater role now being re-assumed by the British terrorists of the UVF as the cutting-edge organisers of Unionist violence, whether on behalf of the Orange Order, the Protestant Coalition or the DUP.
Share