‘We will not be broken’

Posted by Jim on November 5, 2016

A statement from Saoradh member, Damhnic Mac Eochaidh, read out at the
demonstration against British/PSNI harassment in Belfast, and also one
by 15-year-old Ailise ni Mhurchu from west Belfast, on the with PSNI
stop and search procedures she has ednured while going to and coming
from school.

A chairde,

Can I first of all begin by thanking you all on behalf of Saoradh for
attending here tonight. It is to be commended that we have such a good
turnout here, given the short notice and cold weather.

As Republican activists, no quarter is given and none should be asked
for. We have taken the conscious decision to embark on a life of
struggle, a life committed to achieving Freedom for our country and
betterment of the lives of the working class. We seek to remove the twin
evils of occupation and capitalism as we achieve liberation. We make no
apologies for that, and are aware of the intimidation, harassment,
hardship, imprisonment and possible death that awaits us.

Accordingly, we face an enemy that is willing to use the tools at its
disposal. Fists, batons, tasers, plastic bullets and live ammunition are
but equipment to the Crown Forces. Their real tools are the various
forms of legislation they utilise in futile attempts to break the
Republican Struggle. Legislation that has been imposed on us by a
foreign parliament at Westminster with no right to be in Ireland.

RIPA. The Terrorism Act. The Justice and Security Act. Stop and
Searches. Home Invasions. Arrests. Malicious Charges. Miscarriages of
Justice. Collusion. The murder of Irish citizens, the most recent just a
few weeks ago in our city centre.

These are all separate components of the British War Machine in Ireland,
supported by unknown numbers of MI5 operatives. All of which is
supported by a Sinn Fein/DUP coalition at Stormont, implemented by their
unionist “justice” minister. We continue to resist all these mechanisms
of British Rule.

In the course of their war on our communities, Britain and the Stormont
State has now taken to attacking and threatening the families and
children of activists. Not content with threatening the lives of their
parents, stealing their toys and consoles, confiscating laptops with
important exam coursework and wrecking their homes, the PSNI have now
specifically targeted children for harassment.

The children of activists, many of whom not yet in their teens, now find
themselves being the victims of stop and searches on their way into
school. They are being targeted on their way to GAA, soccer, boxing or
Irish dancing practice. Their hurling coaches are being threatened with
arrest for carrying sticks. Even on holiday, they are targeted by
whichever secretive arm of the Crown Forces MI5 deem appropriate. Is
this part of the process to pressure children into becoming informers
that Gerry Kelly has publicly stated he approves of?

It is no coincidence that this targeted harassment of children has
coincided with the recent launch of Saoradh. It is in the interests of
the State, of reformists and of the establishment clergy that there is
no national, articulate and radical Revolutionary Movement that will
organise to oppose their collective agenda. This, allied with the
efforts of the gutter press, condemnation from reformists and the
hysteria of political unionism are the age-old combination of forces
that has traditionally railed against progressive, socialist, Republican
alternatives. Those who support the armed wing of unionism need to
publicly explain their endorsement of those who abuse our children, and
be honest as to the responsibility they bear with regards to passing
information to the PSNI on activists and their children.

We are here, Saoradh are here, along with other welcome organisations
and individuals, to state that nothing will break us. We will not be
strangled at birth. The advantage of movements such as ours is our
resilience and the strength of comradeship. Our activists, our families
and our children have the collective strength and internal support to
withstand these attacks. We also want to appeal to the public, anyone
who is the victim of harassment, intimidation or approaches and thinks
they are alone. You are not alone, contact Saoradh and we will assist
and support you.

They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the
spirit of one Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken.

—————————————————————

Ailise ni Mhurchu

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak here tonight about my
experiences of British stop and search powers. The first time I was
stopped and searched was I was 11 years old on and it happened on Lanark
way. I was frightened being surrounded by so many members of the PSNI.
At that time I didn’t realise that this would become the norm for my
family. 5 years later, I’ve now overcome those fears.

I’ve been in my daddy’s car during most of the stop and searches and
have got used to it. I’m still only 15 years old and still at School.
I’m now in my important GCSE years and have recently experienced stop
and searches while being brought to school and some times being late. I
find it difficult trying to explain why I be late. Outside of my family
I feel like a lone voice, especially among those whom I feel have a duty
to protect me as I have done no wrong.

I’ve now began to question why is this happening? and why these PSNI
people are not challenged by any politicians? As a 15 year old, I am now
speaking out and I would hope more and more people who should know
better would speak out against these stop and searches. I see the PSNI
as an oppressive force denying me my freedoms as a human being.

I just want to finish by saying in the words of Martin Luther King, “In
the end we will remember, not the words of our enemies, but the silence
of our friends”.