Residents against `Peacewall'
Residents of Whitewell Road in North Belfast staged a
demonstration in the area on Saturday 17 January
demanding equal rights.
The residents condemned last week's announcement by the
NIO that it is to fund a 40 ft `peacewall' to run
behind Serpentine Gardens and the loyalist White City.
The residents are angry that the NIO decision was made
in response to loyalist demands and RUC recommendations
without consultation with the nationalist community.
The protesters also criticised the RUC for its
brutality against them during a protest last Tuesday.
Over a hundred residents from the tiny embattled
nationalist community and local Sinn Fein Councillors
Danny Lavery and Mick Conlon joined the protest.
Talking to An Phoblacht, Danny Lavery said, ``the
peacewall will devalue Catholic homes and will not
bring peace because loyalists still have access to the
area via the Whitewell Road.'' Lavery also accused the
RUC and British Army of heavy-handedness in their
policing of the peaceful protest, ``displaying plastic
bullet guns'' throughout. He said the NIO was quick to
fund this wall despite the fact that it had recently
rejected a claim for traffic calming measures from Sinn
Fein, citing ``lack of funds''.
The nationalist residents believe that the proposed
wall will not protect them and say their community has
been under constant attack by loyalists since last
summer in particular.
One woman told An Phoblacht that leading loyalists from
Tiger's Bay are behind the campaign of violence with
numerous attacks on homes and three serious attacks on
the home of a 72 year old pensioner which has driven
her out.
Loyalists have also issued threats against families and
businesses in the area telling them, ``to get out or be
carried out''.
Meanwhile An Phoblacht has been told that UDP
representative Tommy English from Tiger's Bay, who is
currently on bail accused of a vicious punishment
beating, is set to meet British security minister Adam
Ingram to discuss the situation at the Whitewell Road.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)