Shoppers faced with cross-border reality check

The tens of thousands of shoppers from the Twenty-Six Counties who have been crossing Britain’s border in search of a bargain have been greeted by adverts of a distinctly different nature than normal in recent days.

The ‘adverts’, unveiled by eirigi in Newry and other border areas of the Six Counties, inform shoppers that “You Are In Occupied Ireland - Garrison to 14,000 British troops and paramilitary police”.

The first banner to go up was placed by Newry-based eirigi activists on the bridge of the Belfast-Dublin railway line to be seen by thousands of passing motorists.

eirigi general secretary Breandan Mac Cionnaith said the initiative was aimed at highlighting the ongoing occupation of the Six Counties.

“People in the Twenty-Six Counties have been bombarded with propaganda in recent years proclaiming that the national question has been conclusively dealt with and all grievances in the North have been resolved.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Britain maintains a garrison of at least 5,000 troops in the Six Counties, at least one of its regiments - the Special Reconnaissance Regiment - is back on a war footing on Irish soil, the PSNI is harassing nationalists, firing plastic bullets and raiding homes on a daily basis and MI5 is running hundreds of agents from its massive base in north Down.

“This is the reality of Britain’s involvement in modern-day Ireland - it is that of a military and political occupation.”

Mac Cionnaith continued: “In the absence of any meaningful coverage of this occupation from the so-called national broadcaster and the corporate media, eirigi will be increasingly highlighting the ongoing repression in the North among the population of the Twenty-Six Counties and encouraging people to do something about it.

“We will not allow Britain’s occupation of Irish territory to go unchallenged.”

Urgent Appeal