Branch harassment
Cobh Sinn Fein Councillor Kieran McCarthy is calling on the Minister
for Justice to explain if the Garda Special Branch are operating
under the political direction of the Dublin government or whether
they are working to an agenda of their own.
McCarthy's question follows the weekend appearance of five car loads
of Special Branch officers outside a public meeting at Carrigtwohill
community centre in East Cork.
The meeting billed to include northern Assembly member Dara O' Hagan,
was called to publicise the conditions endured by Garvaghy Road
nationalists.
Kieran McCarthy said people going to and coming from the peaceful
public meeting were harassed and intimidated by the Special Branch.
Some were stopped in their cars on their way home and at least one
man was prevented from entering the meeting and had a camera taken
from him.
McCarthy said freedom of political expression is a basic tenet of the
Good Friday deal and no amount of obstruction will prevent Sinn Fein
from highlighting to people in the south of what life is like for
northern nationalists.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)