Republican News · Thursday 22 November 2001

More trouble at Holy Cross as talks offer some hope

Loyalist thugs who abused a seven year old child on her way to Holy Cross school, yesterday 21 November, were described as, "the lowest of the low".

The child was on her way to school with her mother when the loyalists mocked the child by mimicking a child crying for its mother.

The mother hurried the child on to school to get her away from the gang but on the return journey she tackled the RUC/PSNI for allowing the loyalists to get so close to the children and their parents.

As she made her point, the loyalists continued shouting abuse. One loyalist woman then burst through the RUC/PSNI line to attack parents and was arrested.

During the exchanges a loyalist politician who was present told the parent in question "if you got the bus it wouldn't have happened". The loyalist gang around him cheered.

In a statement, the Right to Education Group said the situation has deteriorated greatly with protesters able to freely move around harassing children and parents. "We are yet again calling on the RUC/PSNI to review it's policing so loyalists will not be able to attack both children and parents."

This latest incident comes less than 24 hours after talks aimed at resolving the dispute were held in Stormont.

Parents and members of the Board of Governors from the Holy Cross met with David Trimble and Mark Durkan, the First and Deputy First ministers respectively, at Stormont on Tuesday 20 November.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly who was at the meeting described it as, "a frank and positive exchange of views". Fr Aidan Troy also thought the meeting "went well".

A second meeting chaired by Nigel Dodds of the DUP who is MP for North Belfast, also took place in Stormont. Attending the meeting were loyalist politicians, RUC/PSNI representatives and NIO officials.

The Reverend Norman Hamilton from Ballysillan Presbyterian Church also attended. Afterwards he said, "there was a fairly focused discussion on quite a wide range of issues including personal and physical security".

Parent wins judicial review

On Monday, 19 November, Judge Kerr granted leave to apply for Judicial Review to the Holy Cross parent challenging the failure of the police and the Secretary of State to protect the children. The parent taking the case was granted anonymity by the court; anonymity had been applied for to protect not only the parent's life but also the life of her child.

The police and Secretary of State now have three weeks to file their defence to the case lodged by the parent. The case will then be reviewed by the Court to assess its readiness for final hearing.

The solicitor representing the parent said: "We hope that this case can be heard as quickly as possible so that the children no longer have to endure this suffering and appalling treatment. The best Christmas present for these children will be to go to school like every other child in Northern Ireland".