The hypocrisy of the cause célèbre

The mainstream media are indifferent to political policing when republicans are involved, Saoradh argues.

Over the past number of days the media has been focused on the Loughinisland tragedy and how journalists investigating collusion between British Crown Forces and Loyalist Death Squads were detained and had their equipment seized.

It has been claimed that Forces of the Crown seized a USB memory stick containing GCSE coursework belonging to the daughter of one of the Belfast journalists as part of an investigation into the alleged theft of documents from the Police Ombudsman’s office.

The seizure of USB drives and other journalistic documents has been criticised, and rightly so. However, this has now exposed the hypocritical attitude of a compliant media.

The fact that those who have rightly exposed the theft of children’s schoolwork only did so when it suits themselves has to be looked at further.

For the better part of two decades, those who continue the path of Republicanism have faced similar treatment as those journalists who have had their homes raided, personal items stolen and been detained in an interrogation unit. There is glaring and obvious differences though.

Despite the fact that Republicans continue to use any and all means at our disposal to highlight and expose the mistreatment and fundamental abuse meted out on ourselves, our family, our homes and our personal belongings; it’s when we attempt to integrate the media that the problems begin.

Republicans of all shades, and in particular, Saoradh most recently have held numerous press conferences, issued press releases and have even provided video evidence of children and family members of Republicans having their school work, Christmas presents, hard earned and sought after belongings stolen as part of made up felon setting investigations by British Crown Forces and yet these fall on deaf ears. The hypocrisy stinks.

The question now has to be asked; why has it taking until middle class journalists are targeted by so the called “dark side of policing” for them to highlight the wrongdoings and failings of a British controlled force within Occupied Ireland?

Urgent Appeal