James Connolly honoured in Edinburgh
Last Saturday over 700 hundred people took part in the annual
James Connolly march and rally in Edinburgh. Marchers from all
over Scotland and from the Basque Country joined six republican
flute bans as they made their way past Connolly's birthplace in
the city centre.
Before the march police with their identification numbers removed
and armed with batons and CS Gas spray moved in to the assembling
crowd, confiscating red flags and placards demanding the
disbandment of the RUC. Senior officers later claimed they found
the flags and placards offensive. Police officers stopped many
parents, telling them families were not allowed to participate,
even quoting legislation claiming they could be charged with
endangering their children.
Throughout the march the stewards positioned themselves between
the police and the marchers as the 600 police officers on duty
circled the march attempting to force their way between the
bands. As the parade reached its rally point it was attacked with
bottles and bricks by a loyalist gang. Despite the provocation
the marchers showed great restraint and determination to honour
Connoly with discipline and dignity.
At the rally Jim Slaven of the James Connolly Society promised
that republicans in Edinburgh would not be intimidated off their
streets. A message of support from Josune Gallategi, a Basque
political prisoner, whose sister was on the march, was read out.
Josune, currently held as a political hostage in the Spanish
state said ``Ireland has always been an example to follow for all
small dominated nations in their fight for independence. The
Basques have always admired the magnificent effort by Irishmen
and Irishwomen to achieve freedom throughout history and feel
great sympathy and solidarity with their struggle to reunite the
Irish Nation''.
The main speaker at the rally was Sinn Féin's South Tyrone
organiser Michelle Gildernew. She told the rally of the need for
the new British government to convene all party talks immediately.
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