Posted by Jim on September 15, 2018
An outpouring of emotion at the broadcast of a new documentary has
inspired hope that justice is finally within reach for the victims of an
infamous British Army killing spree.
Supporters walked from Belfast City Hall to the Belfast High Court on
Monday in a show of encouragement and solidarity for the families of the
eleven people who were killed as they attended a preliminary hearing for
a new inquest into the Ballymurphy massacre.
They were given a detailed timetable for the new inquest, which will get
underway on November 12th.
The shootings, which took place in the Ballymurphy estate in west
Belfast between August 9th and 11th, 1971, were carried out by the
British army as they sought to take control of republican areas in the
wake of the introduction of internment without trial.
A Catholic priest and a mother-of-eight were among those killed during
three days of gunfire by the Parachute Regiment. Another man died of a
heart attack following a violent confrontation with the troops in the
The new date for the inquest was issued by Presiding Coroner Siobhan
Keegan, and comes after years of preliminary inquiries. A long campaign
for a public inquiry was refused by the British government in 2011.
The Coroner’s Office is currently examining a database of the names of
almost 5,000 former British soldiers it received from the Ministry of
Defence just two weeks ago. It had been attempting to trace former
soldiers who may have been at Ballymurphy during the shootings to call
as witnesses to the inquest.
Around 100 supporters gathered outside Belfast High Court on Monday in
solidarity with the families before the hearing. Speaking outside court
Briege Voyle, whose mother Joan Connolly died in the shootings, said
they are determined to get the truth from the inquest.
“This is a very very big day for us, we have struggled hard for this for
the last 20 years,” she said.
“At the end of the day, our loved ones were murdered, cold blooded
murder and they have to admit it. Those soldiers are no different to
anyone else, they have to answer for it.”
Last Saturday, September 8, there was a huge online reaction to the
broadcast of a documentary on the subject by award-winning film maker
Callum Macrea, which was screened on Channel 4 at the weekend.
The documentary, which is a shorter version of his full-length film ‘The
Ballymurphy Precedent’, presents a reconstruction and forensic
examination of the grisly murders. It contains personal and
heart-rending accounts of the events from the relatives of those shot
At the preliminary hearing, Justice Keegan told the victims’ families
that “a new page has been turned” after decades of struggle. While the
inquest begins in November, the military witnesses are still not
expected to be called until January at the earliest.
The court has also heard criticism of the British Ministry of Defence,
with the coroner stating she “couldn’t understand why information could
not be provided sooner” and that the nature of the information coming
from the MoD was “not acceptable”.
John Teggart, whose father Daniel was shot 14 times, believes the
Ministry of Defence decision to hand over the information had again been
“The MoD has put this forward to swamp the coroner with information that
she is duty bound to look at,” he said.
“The families are devastated, they didn’t need that and don’t need
Justice Keegan has promised to challenge any further prevarication by
the British military. Following the preliminary hearing, the families
thanked the judge and applauded as she left the courtroom.
Posted by Jim on
An outpouring of emotion at the broadcast of a new documentary has
inspired hope that justice is finally within reach for the victims of an
infamous British Army killing spree.
Supporters walked from Belfast City Hall to the Belfast High Court on
Monday in a show of encouragement and solidarity for the families of the
eleven people who were killed as they attended a preliminary hearing for
a new inquest into the Ballymurphy massacre.
They were given a detailed timetable for the new inquest, which will get
underway on November 12th.
The shootings, which took place in the Ballymurphy estate in west
Belfast between August 9th and 11th, 1971, were carried out by the
British army as they sought to take control of republican areas in the
wake of the introduction of internment without trial.
A Catholic priest and a mother-of-eight were among those killed during
three days of gunfire by the Parachute Regiment. Another man died of a
heart attack following a violent confrontation with the troops in the
west Belfast estate.
The new date for the inquest was issued by Presiding Coroner Siobhan
Keegan, and comes after years of preliminary inquiries. A long campaign
for a public inquiry was refused by the British government in 2011.
The Coroner’s Office is currently examining a database of the names of
almost 5,000 former British soldiers it received from the Ministry of
Defence just two weeks ago. It had been attempting to trace former
soldiers who may have been at Ballymurphy during the shootings to call
as witnesses to the inquest.
Around 100 supporters gathered outside Belfast High Court on Monday in
solidarity with the families before the hearing. Speaking outside court
Briege Voyle, whose mother Joan Connolly died in the shootings, said
they are determined to get the truth from the inquest.
“This is a very very big day for us, we have struggled hard for this for
the last 20 years,” she said.
“At the end of the day, our loved ones were murdered, cold blooded
murder and they have to admit it. Those soldiers are no different to
anyone else, they have to answer for it.”
Last Saturday, September 8, there was a huge online reaction to the
broadcast of a documentary on the subject by award-winning film maker
Callum Macrea, which was screened on Channel 4 at the weekend.
The documentary, which is a shorter version of his full-length film ‘The
Ballymurphy Precedent’, presents a reconstruction and forensic
examination of the grisly murders. It contains personal and
heart-rending accounts of the events from the relatives of those shot
dead.
At the preliminary hearing, Justice Keegan told the victims’ families
that “a new page has been turned” after decades of struggle. While the
inquest begins in November, the military witnesses are still not
expected to be called until January at the earliest.
The court has also heard criticism of the British Ministry of Defence,
with the coroner stating she “couldn’t understand why information could
not be provided sooner” and that the nature of the information coming
from the MoD was “not acceptable”.
John Teggart, whose father Daniel was shot 14 times, believes the
Ministry of Defence decision to hand over the information had again been
deliberately delayed.
“The MoD has put this forward to swamp the coroner with information that
she is duty bound to look at,” he said.
“The families are devastated, they didn’t need that and don’t need
this.”
Justice Keegan has promised to challenge any further prevarication by
the British military. Following the preliminary hearing, the families
thanked the judge and applauded as she left the courtroom.
Posted by Jim on
Over a thousand people marched in Dublin on Wednesday after the new
Garda Commissioner colluded with hired thugs in an attempt to suppress
opposition to the government’s housing policy.
On behalf of an absentee landlord, a Garda ‘Public Order Unit’ was sent
out on Tuesday on North Frederick Street in Dublin city centre to
support a masked gang of some 15 to 20 men wearing balaclavas.
Operating out of a second-hand British police van, the gang, who are
believed to based in the North, forced their way into an abandoned
premises after it had been occupied by housing activists.
They illegally gained entry to the building using an angle grinder and
a sledgehammer and then proceeded with a forced eviction.
Outside, masked Gardai used batons, pepper-spray and direct assault to
break up campaigners, before posing for media photographs.
There were several injuries requiring hospital treatment, according to
‘Take Back the City’, the network of 18 grassroots activist groups who
are taking direct action against Ireland’s housing crisis.
One young man suffered a head injury and concussion after he was dragged
to the ground by masked men. Another was kicked in the head.
Trinity student Conor Reddy, who suffered an injured neck and
concussion, said he was attempting a peaceful sit-down protest on the
road outside the property, when he was attacked.
The operation has exposed the reactionary agenda of the Minister for
Justice Charlie Flanagan, and his new appointee, Drew Harris, a
notorious British collusion figure who Flanagan made head of the 26
County police earlier this month.
While in the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary), Harris directed a ‘dirty
war’ of oppression against Irish nationalists. Following his
inauguration on September 3, he described Irish republicans as “the
biggest threat on the island”. Within eight days, he sent out a masked
police gang to engage in a violent show of strength which bears the
hallmarks of fascism.
The images sent shock waves through Irish social media. They evoked
memories of the brutality of British establishment landlords who were
supported by the RIC, the predecessor of the RUC.
The following day, with little notice, a thousand people, young and old,
male and female, marched through the streets in a rally of empowerment
and defiance. The ‘Take Back The City’ campaign had called on people to
join them and march through Dublin to show that they will not be
intimidated, but even they were surprised by the numbers who turned out.
Public transport and traffic came to a standstill in the city centre as
protesters sat down on the intersection of O’Connell Street and Parnell
Street. Pictures of the gang wearing balaclavas were being held aloft by
protesters as they shouted chants of “shame, shame, shame”. People
travelled from all over Dublin and beyond to take part in the protest,
chanting “we will not be moved”.
A woman in her 60s drove up from Kilkenny for the protest. “I think it’s
just disgraceful and I agree with what these people are doing. Ireland
is screwed and we need action now.”
They marched towards a second vacant premises on Belvedere Place, where
activists are again facing eviction by a ‘heavy gang’.
The British-registered van used on Tuesday was previously owned by
Greater Manchester Police. It is thought the same untaxed British
vehicle, with no front number plate and no record of vehicle testing —
but using blue lights to convey a police function — was involved in a
previous eviction on behalf of KBC bank in Balbriggan last February. On
that occasion, anti-eviction activists said they believed loyalist
paramilitaries and former British Army soldiers had been involved.
The ‘Take Back the City’ campaign said it will continue to take over
vacant buildings to highlight property hoarding and other tactics used
by slum landlords and vulture funds. The umbrella group includes
activists from Dublin Central Housing Action, Dublin West Housing
Action, student group Take Back Trinity, and Dublin Renters’ Union.
In a statement following the eviction, a spokesperson for the group said
their campaign had received huge support and was stronger than ever.
They denounced the actions of the supposed ‘security firm’ who carried
out the forceful eviction on a building they said had been left idle for
more than three years. Ordinary tenants are being illegally and unjustly
ousted from their homes, they said, thanks to the physical support of
the state for evictions.
They also “utterly condemned” the actions of Gardai who they said had
“facilitated these illegal activities, arrested activists fighting
against the ongoing and unprecedented homelessness crisis in Ireland,
and used physical force in the process.”
Amnesty International Ireland called for an investigation into the use
of excessive force by gardai, while the Irish Council for Civil
Liberties called for a report from Commissioner Drew Harris.
Labour justice spokesman Sean Sherlock said Harris must explain the
“level of co-operation” between Gardai and the gang carrying out the
eviction.
Sinn Fein justice spokesman Donnchadh O Laoghaire said the scenes were
“very concerning” and called for an investigation by the Garda
Ombudsman.
“It is important that it is clarified whether the security firm who the
gardai were facilitating had the appropriate documentation of
identification, and under what legal basis they were there,” he said.
“Families up and down the country will look on at this with concern,
particularly those who are potentially facing eviction in the short
term, if this is the heavy handed approach that is to be taken to
facilitate private security in enforcing the will of landlords.
“The approach taken to the victims of the Housing crisis, and those who
are campaigning for change, is markedly different to that taken against
slum landlords.”
Posted by Jim on
FRIENDS OF FIREFIGHTERS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Friends of Firefighters, along with FF Tommy Phelan’s family and Marine 9 are honored to offer a $500 scholarship to the child of an FDNY Firefighter (active or retired) to be used specifically for SUNY Maritime College. There is no deadline, however the funds will be disbursed in 2018 so please apply in a timely manner via email at info@friendsoffirefighters.org or by calling (718) 643-0980.
HOLY NAME SOCIETY PAYROLL DUES DEDUCTION
The Holy Name Society, Manhattan, Bronx & Staten Island is a tax exempt, Catholic & fraternal organization which has served the FDNY for nearly 100 years, both uniform and civilian. They are starting to go green by providing ACTIVE MEMBERS ONLY with a PAYROLL DEDUCTION. To enroll, go to www.nyc.gov/ess, click Payroll & Compensations, go to Deduction Information, click Inquiries, find FDNY Fraternal Organizations and click on Holy Name Society. New members or members who have moved, transferred, or retired, should notify fdnyholynamesociety.com and include name, address, phone number, rank and assigned unit. Also for members who are using automatic deductions, please feel free to send a donation to the Fr. Mychal Scholarship Fund with your updated contact sheet to help ensure scholarships for future generations.
AFRICAN AMERICAN DAY PARADE
On Sunday, September 16, 2018, permission is granted for off-duty members to participate in the 2018 African American Day Parade. Participating members of the Department should assemble on W. 111th Street between Frederick Douglas and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., NY at 1200 hours. Dress uniform shall be worn. For more information contact Regina Wilson, FDNY Vulcan Society, at 718-749-7633.
The Bacon and Beer Classic is a nationally-touring food and drink festival coming to the USTA National Tennis Center (home to the US Open) on Saturday, September 29th. Now in its 5th year, the Bacon and Beer Classic provides each ticketholder with unlimited samples from 60+ NYC restaurants and 160 craft beers. The event features live music, games, and a bacon eating contest. FDNY members are being offered a 20% discount on all-inclusive tickets. Use discount code FDNY when purchasing tickets. More information and tickets can be found here: https://www.baconandbeerclassic.com.
NATIONAL STAIR CLIMB FOR FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS BENEFITTING FDNY CSU & NFFF
The FDNY and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) will host the 4th Annual National Stair Climb for Fallen Firefighters on Sunday, October 28, at Belmont Park. The National Stair Climb benefits the programs of the FDNY Counseling Service Unit and the NFFF which honors America’s fallen firefighters, provides assistance to their families and prevents line-of-duty deaths and injuries. Participants of all levels will climb stairs to symbolize the steps of the World Trade Center Towers and to honor all fallen firefighters, including the 343 FDNY members who died on September 11, 2001. This year, registrants can volunteer as one of 343 flag bearers. Belmont Park will have fun family activities and the New York Racing Association will raffle two 2018 Belmont Stakes Day reserved seats. Costs are: $50 for the Climb and After Party; $30 for After Party tickets; $20 for After Party tickets for children under 12; Children 3 and under are FREE. Gates open and on-site registration begins at 9:00 am. To register in advance or for more information, go to www.nationalstairclimb.com.
Posted by Jim on September 14, 2018
IAFF DISASTER RELIEF FUND
The IAFF Foundation seeks to provide aid to IAFF Union Firefighters and their families during times of need. Part of the IAFF Foundation’s efforts to help members and their families following natural disasters is the IAFF Disaster Relief Fund, created to provide assistance to members living in disaster areas who have also experienced losses of their own.
The Disaster Relief Fund provides immediate financial assistance and disaster relief efforts to help displaced firefighters and their families while they continue to serve the surrounding communities.
The Disaster Relief Fund has provided more than $5 million dollars in assistance to IAFF members and families in times of need since its creation in 1993. The Fund has worked to provide disaster relief efforts throughout the years to members and their families affected by some of the most devastating hurricanes, floods and tornadoes that have affected our country. In addition to financial relief, The Fund works to assist members and their families in the disaster areas, providing incident command staff, communications, evacuation, food, medicine, behavioral health and counseling, building materials, crews for house repairs, transportation, and housing support.
To learn more about the IAFF Foundation, visit https://foundation.iaff.org. For a list of frequently asked questions about the Disaster Relief Fund, please visit https://foundation.iaff.org/iaff-disaster-relief-program-f…/.
To donate to this crucial fund to help IAFF Union Firefighters and their families in the face of Hurricane Florence, please visit https://foundation.iaff.org.