Saturday, February 25, 2006
Protesters tossing a metal barricade.
A Unionist march in central
Dublin
,
Ireland
turned violent after republican protesters tried to disrupt the parade. So far, several
Garda Siochana
police officers and a journalist have been injured. Due to the violence, the march has been called off.
Hundreds of republican protesters turned out to oppose the "Love Ulster" march organized by the victim's group Fair.
Democratic Unionist
and
Ulster Unionist
politicians were planning to take part in the march. The march was to highlight the deaths of Protestants in Northern Ireland by Irish nationalists. A delegation was also to meet the Justice Minister,
Michael McDowell
, after the march.
A counter-protest was organised by
Republican Sinn Fein
, a political party that is believed to be linked to the
Continuity Irish Republican Army
and which split away from
Sinn Fein
in the 1980s, just as the Continuity IRA split away from the
Provisional IRA
. Sinn Fein stated they had no involvement in the violence. Counterprotesters threw bottles, fireworks and many different objects at riot police.
However, an on-looker stated "They have no right to be coming down here and rubbing our noses in it." He added that many Catholics also suffered during the conflict known as the
The Troubles
. Kelly Ann Moore, 20, a republican protester said "Loyalist protesters knew what was going to happen if they tried to do this. They were trying to provoke this violence."
The Troubles
is an ongoing conflict that stems from the partition of Ireland in the 1920s into two entities, the
Irish Free State
and
Northern Ireland
. The Irish Free State eventually became the Republic of Ireland, an independent nation, while Northern Ireland became a constituent part of the
United Kingdom
. The conflict is split into two camps, the
nationalists
or
republicans
which advocate a united, single Ireland and the
unionists
or
loyalists
which advocate a continued union with the United Kingdom. The conflict also boils down into religious divides as unionists are generally
Protestant
and nationalists are usually
Catholic
.
Taoiseach (Prime Minister)
Bertie Ahern
condemned the violence and stated "There is no excuse for it and that it is the essence of Irish democracy and republicanism that people are allowed express their views freely and in a peaceful manner."
Other politicians condemned the violence too. Sean Crowe, Sinn Fein TD for Dublin South West said the rioting was "disgraceful" but included that the unionist rally had been "provocative".
Alban Maginness of the
Social Democratic & Labour Party
stated "It is disturbing that marchers have been prevented from peaceful demonstration. This action of extreme republicans simply plays into hands of those of the unionist right who cannot conceive unionist rights being upheld in a new Ireland."
Sister links
Sources
- "
Nationalist protestors and police clash in Dublin
" —
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
, February 25, 2006
- "
Violence erupts at Dublin march
" —
Press Association
, February 25, 2006
- "
Officers injured in Dublin riot
" —
BBC News Online
, February 25, 2006
- "
Unionists to march through Dublin
" —
BBC News Online
, February 25, 2006
- Rodrigo Davies. "
Dublin Police, Rioters Clash in City Center as Vehicles Burn
" —
Bloomberg
, February 25, 2006
- "
'Love Ulster' rally abandoned after clashes with gardai
" —
Thomas Crosbie Media
, February 25, 2006
- "
Violent clashes in Dublin over Orange parade
" —
telegraph.co.uk
, February 25, 2006
- "
Taoiseach condemns violence at Ulster rally
" —
Thomas Crosbie Media
, February 25, 2006
- "
Republicans clash with gardai at 'Love Ulster' parade
" —
Thomas Crosbie Media
, February 25, 2006
- "
'Love Ulster' rally clashes condemned by politicians
" —
Thomas Crosbie Media
, February 25, 2006
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editprotected
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