Political Status Battle Recommences

From The Starry Plough
Apr. 2002

Republican and Republican Socialist Prisoners are being forced to consider drastic action in a bid to regain the rights won during the 1981 hunger strike in which three INLA and seven IRA prisoners fasted to death rather then be classed as criminals.

Since the signing of the Belfast Agreement and the closure of Long Kesh prisoners rights have been slowly and steadily taken away.

There is even evidence that prison authorities are planning to reintroduce the idea of prison uniforms. Speculation is rife that a catalogue of prison issue clothing and other items is to be introduced. If this is it will take prisoners back to the days when Ciaran Nugent and Connolly Brady became the first IRA and INLA prisoners to refuse to wear prison uniforms and instead began what became the blanket protest. That protest ulimately led to the deaths of the hunger strikers.

Prisoners are now not allowed food parcels and visitors are subjected to a sniffer dog that basically has the power to decide if a prisoner is allowed an open or a closed visit. Republican prisoners have now decided to refuse to take closed visits in protest at this ubsurdity.

Relatives of the prisoners along with friends and supporters gathered in Derry city centre on Saturday 23rd March in what was planned to be the first in a series of protests for prisoners rights.

The protesters gathered at Free Derry Corner and then made their way up Fahan Street towards the Diamond. As they passed through the gate at the entrance of Butcher Street they were watched by a group of loyalists who were attending the headquarters of the Apprentice Boys. Some of these loyalists even followed the protest as it made it's way down towards Shipquay Street although there was no trouble.

After about fifteen minutes of a white line protest on Shipquay Street the crowd then moved into Waterloo Place where Marian Price briefly addressed the prisoners supporters. She thanked those present for attending and said that those who said the prisoners had no support were wrong given the number of people who attended this protest.

POLITICAL STATUS NOW!

Last update: 4/21/02; 7:20:43 AM.