Sectarian
Murder a Barbaric Reminder
Republican Sinn Fein press release
The
latest sectarian murder, that of 15-year-old Michael
McIlveen who died on May 8 following a beating by
a loyalist gang in Ballymena, Co Antrim on May 7,
is another barbaric reminder to nationalists of
how little has changed.
Sectarian
hatred still exists in the occupied Six Counties
and has increased since the 1998 Stormont Agreement.
This
murder mirrors that of another 15-year-old nationalist
stabbed to death in Belfast in August last year
and is just one of the hundreds of sectarian attacks
carried out by loyalists over the last eight years.
Republican
Sinn Fein extends sympathy to the family of Michael
McIlveen and urge continued vigilance by the nationalist
community.
Nationalist
concerns grow as murder highlights police inaction
in Ballymena
Andy
Martin, 32 County Sovereignty Movement
The
32 County Sovereignty Movement extend our deepest
sympathies to the family of Michael McIlveen following
his Murder at the hands of Loyalists in Ballymena.
Michael
was attacked by a Loyalist gang wielding baseball
bats and severely beaten in Garfield place and tragically
died on Monday evening as a result of this sectarian
attack.
Three
witness who gave statements to the police on Monday
were visited within a matter of hours by the RUC/PSNI
who informed them that their lives were under threat
from Loyalists and then asked them did they want
to retract their statements.
The
32 County Sovereignty Movement view the behaviour
of the police with alarm given the timescale between
the statements being given and the death threats
received.
How
did these Loyalists know statements had been taken
and the identities of those who had made the statements?
This
follows equally worrying behaviour on Sunday evening
following the attack when local republicans were
in the area trying to calm tensions.
A
group of Loyalists armed with Stanley knives and
claw hammers entered a street where the republicans
were visiting relatives of Michael McIlveen. Local
residents took a number of hurling sticks from some
children who were playing in the street to defend
themselves at which point the RUC/PSNI arrived in
the street and surrounded the nationalists.
When
nationalist residents protested and pointed out
that there were armed Loyalists still in the street
the police told them that they would deal with that
after they had dealt with them, when it was pointed
out that the nationalist residents had done nothing
a further five landrovers of police in riot gear
entered the street and stood outside the house,
again ignoring the loyalists who calmly made their
way out of the area unhindered.
Recently
a man who was stabbed by a gang of up to thirty
Loyalists who rampaged through a shopping centre
in Ballymena was charged with assault and affray,
presumably for trying to defend himself while those
who attacked him got away scott free.
The
murder of Michael McIlveen is the latest in a litany
of attacks by Loyalists in Ballymena and the lack
of action by the police illustrates perfectly that
despite cosmetic changes they are still a sectarian
police force.
Ballymena
town centre is still a no go area for nationalists
who live in constant fear of attack both in the
town and within nationalist areas.
The
police appear unwilling or unable to protect nationalists
and recent events have confirmed that the RUC/PSNI
are, at the very least, turning a blind eye to Loyalist
aggression in Ballymena.
The
32 County Sovereignty Movement appeal for calm following
this murder and call on nationalists to remain vigilant
and to unite to defend themselves from attacks by
pro British death squads both in and out of uniform.
