The `new' RUC
Scratch the `new' RUC and the colour Orange appears. That is the
lesson learnt by many nationalists people in Downpatrick last
Monday night when the loyalist thugs, in and out of uniform,
turned their attentions to peaceful protestors who objected to a
Paisley rally through the nationalist and, up to now, mainly
peaceful town.
The Paisley triumphalist march was allowed to go through the town
despite local objections and the RUC made sure that vocal and
active objections alike, along the route, were batoned, punched
and kicked out of the way to allow the Paisleyites the rite of
passage.
On the other hand a hunger strike commemoration through
nationalist West Belfast on the same evening was declared illegal
by the RUC who photographed marchers for prosecution at a later
date. In the past, republican marchers through republican areas
have been physically attacked and scores of thousands of pounds
of fines and jail terms have been imposed on members of
H-Block/Armagh committees throughout the Six Counties (mimicked
also by the Free State) for taking part in last year's
demonstrations.
SDLP Chief Whip Eddie McGrady said that the RUC's action in
Downpatrick had `forfeited' them any right to nationalist support
and that `20 years' work has gone down the drain'. However, the
SDLP are unable to develop any further position on a state whose
armed force is blatantly partisan and sectarian and it is at this
juncture that their leadership becomes irrelevant and the IRA
takes over.
Phoblacht 6 August 1987
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