Shopping centre closed down
Nationalist objections to the new RUC barracks in Castle Court
shopping centre, Belfast, reached a high point on Saturday when 200
Sinn protesters blocked access to the complex's carpark for an hour.
At one point the RUC moved in to clear an exit, under the pretext
that the protesters were ``detaining people against their will''.
A number of women were kicked by RUC personel although none was
seriously injured.
Undeterred the protesters moved into the shopping centre itself and
staged a 15 minute picket outside the barracks.
During the protest, which was the fourth in a week, the nationalist
protesters were subjected to constant harassment and abuse by passing
loyalists, one even suggesting that they should ``go home and clean
their houses''.
Alex Maskey, speaking after the protest, described the new barracks
as ``nothing other than a cynical public relations exercise''. Protest
organiser Eoin O'Broin said the barracks was ``an insult to the many
victims of RUC violence, intimidation and harassment''.
More protests are planned and Sinn Fein has called for an urgent
meeting with the Castle Court management in order to discuss the
matter.
O'Broin said, ``a Sinn Fein delegation met the Castle Court manager
Alec Bell on Wednesday 16 December to express the disatisfaction of
the nationalist people about the RUC presence in the Centre''.
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