Irish Republican News · September 11, 2021

IRSP HQ raided

Heavily armed PSNI members raided the headquarters of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) in West Belfast this week using a chainsaw to remove the front door.

Other heavy cutting equipment was used in a dawn raid by militarised police on Costello House on the Falls Road, which removed the security door at the front of the building.

Early morning commuters were astonished as the PSNI hacked into the prominent building. The PSNI also removed a lock on a gate surrounding the property and were later seen removing a number of items from the building.

The raid has been linked to unionist criticism of the PSNI’s failure to attempt arrests during a gun salute to INLA hunger Striker Mickey Devine in Derry by former comrades last month.

The IRSP noted in a Facebook post that the offices “provide vital services to the local community such as housing advice, benefits advice, restorative justice and recently it has been the centre point for the local West Belfast community to campaign and organise against landlord exploitation and high rents.

“It comes as no surprise that the PSNI have chosen to raid the office of the IRSP at this time, due to rising tensions between the West Belfast community and Landlords.”

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