In scenes reminiscent of west Belfast in 1969, the PSNI failed to intervene as the defenceless group fled from their attackers
Friday-Thursday, 12-18 June, 2009
Friday-Thursday, 12-18 June, 2009
Bigots target immigrants
By Irish Republican News
More than 100 immigrants were forced to take shelter in a church near Queen's University this week after four days of racist attacks by loyalist thugs from the Village area of south Belfast.
In scenes reminiscent of west Belfast in 1969, the PSNI failed to intervene as the defenceless group fled from their attackers.
Instead, they encouraged up to 20 Romanian families to leave their houses in nearby Belgravia and Wellesley Avenues and seek shelter in a church hall.
The attackers later exulted in the their success, with some travelling to west Belfast where they desecrated republican graves.
While the bigots scrawled slogans supporting the neo-nazi group Combat 18 and the fascist British National Party (BNP), links to either group appear superficial.
The pogrom in south Belfast is the latest in a recent series of confrontations between loyalist youths and eastern Europeans, which began following a soccer match between Poland and a 'Northern Ireland' team several weeks ago.
Simmering racial tensions in the area erupted over recent days, culminating in an attack on a rally in support of the east European migrants on Monday night.
Youths hurled bottles and made Nazi salutes at those taking part in the anti-racism rally.
Earlier, houses inhabited by Romanian families were targeted.
A gang smashed windows and threatened to stab pregnant women and children.
Other families had been threatened by a man armed with a handgun. The PSNI had taken up to two hours to respond to calls. Some went unanswered.
Another Romanian family was attacked on Wednesday night, in the Ballyhackamore area of east Belfast, about three miles from the Village.
Mother-of-two Maria Fechete said her family had suffered two weeks of attacks which culminated in racist thugs breaking into her house and threatening her and her children on Tuesday night. She said they were now being forced to flee the country.
"We are OK. We are safe here now. But we want to go home [to Romania] because right now we are not safe here," Ms Fechete said.
"I haven't slept in a week - we've just had enough.
"I want to go home because... I want my kids to be safe."
Children, the youngest a five-day-old baby, have not been spared the ugly scenes of the past fortnight.
Couaccusil Filuis told how the attackers had even threatened to kill children.
"They made signs like they wanted to cut my brother's baby's throat," he said.
"They said they wanted to kill us."
The evacuation began when a Romanian family first sought shelter in a house where they thought they would be safe.
However, soon there were so many trying to cram in they did not fit and a local church offered them the use of the church hall for as long as they needed.
As numbers grew, however, they families had to be bussed to the Ozone Leisure Centre in south Belfast, where the families were housed in a sports hall.
More than 100 Romanians are now in temporary accommodation. They are expected to remain at the secret location for the week.
The PSNI were strongly condemned for doing nothing to defend the immigrants, but PSNI Chief Inspector Robert Murdie sought to deflect the blame.
"I feel that we all should be ashamed that such attacks are happening, not just in Belfast but right across Northern Ireland," he said.
On Wednesday night, racist and sectarian slogans, along with Combat 18 graffiti was daubed on the Republican Plot in Milltown cemetery. A considerable amount of damage was done to the graves.
Sinn Fein Assembly member for West Belfast, Paul Maskey, condemned the unionist response to the latest incidents.
"We do not see any flow of information from within that community to the PSNI either on the attack on the Republican graves or indeed more worryingly on the disgraceful attempts to drive the Romanian community from the city.
"Racist attacks coming from with the unionist community in Belfast are not new and did not just start this week with attacks on the Romanians," said Sinn Fein Assembly member for West Belfast Paul Maskey.
"This has been a long standing problem and one which clearly has not yet been properly addressed either by political representatives of that community or indeed by the PSNI. Otherwise these attacks would have stopped years ago."
Copyright © 2009 Irish Republican News
Friday-Thursday, 12-18 June, 2009
PSNI prosecution of journalist defeated
By Irish Republican News
A journalist has won legal recognition for her right to keep confidential her sources of information on the 'Real IRA' after the PSNI police had ordered her to surrender her documents.
Suzanne Breen, northern editor of the Sunday Tribune, had been told to hand over a mobile telephone, computer records and notes she had used to write articles on the dissident republican group.
The move was a thinly disguised effort to impose censorship following an upsurge in dissident activity earlier this year, including a 'Real IRA' gun attack on a British Army base in County Antrim in which two British soldiers were killed.
Ms Breen insisted that she must protect her sources and argued that she could be targeted for reprisal if she co-operated with the PSNI.
A number of British and Irish journalists gave evidence in court to back her stance. All of them were united in stressing that a journalist must honour any guarantee of confidentiality given to those who provide information.
Judge Burgess accepted the arguments put forward by Ms Breen, referring to the need to "balance fairly and objectively in respect of both public interests" in denying the PSNI's demands.
His ruling has been widely welcomed by journalists, rights bodies and political parties.
Speaking outside court, Ms Breen said she "couldn't be happier" with the findings. "Hopefully this will set a precedent. I hope no other journalist will find themselves hauled before the court.
"I think it was a complete waste of time, resources and of taxpayers' money, and hopefully the police will learn from this decision and no other journalist will find themselves in the position that I found myself - potentially facing up to five years for doing nothing other than my job."
The National Union of Journalists said: "The PSNI has failed on this occasion, despite tactics aimed at intimidating the media."
The union's general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We now hope that the security forces will concentrate on tracking down criminals and those responsible for murder, rather than targeting journalists."
Irish secretary Seamus Dooley said: "No journalist should face the prospect of a prison sentence for doing their job in the public interest. Judge Burgess has recognised the central importance of the protection of journalistic sources, and also accepted that a journalist who hands over confidential material could put their life at risk."
Amnesty International also greeted the court's findings.
Patrick Corrigan, programme director for the North, said: "Freedom of the press is an essential element of the right to freedom of expression, recognised under international law, and in general includes the principle that journalists must be able to protect their sources. We welcome [the] decision, but remain concerned at this attempt by the PSNI to use secret evidence and anti-terrorism legislation against a journalist."
SDLP Assembly member Alex Attwood said the judgment confirmed essential principles around the independence of journalists.
Alliance leader David Ford said: "This is a victory for the free press and for journalism as a profession."
A PSNI spokesman said the police accepted the decision.
Copyright © 2009 Irish Republican News