Freedoms Struggle Will Not Be Terrorised, Nor Freedoms Fight Criminalized
Gary Donnelly a highly committed Republican from Derry, was recently sentenced to 7 months in gaol. He received this sentence for some of the most obvious political policing in recent years. Gary had been on Foyle Street in Derry when he was approached by a number of RUC officers, one being a well known Scottish Inspector, who already has a history of abusing republicans. The altercation ended with Mr Donnelly having his arm broken in 3 places. If this wasn't punishment enough the RUC moved to put an assault charge against him. After the first hearing Gary was fined £450, which he quite rightly appealed, being guilty of having your arm smashed is not worthy of a fine. Upon the next hearing Gary was sentenced to community service, again why should an innocent man do the work of a criminal? The final review of his case ended with Gary being handed a ridiculous sentence of 7 months in Maghaberry Gaol. This despite the “police” obviously lying in court a number of times, with a British judge even saying “There were a number of discrepancies in the evidence given by police officers during the trial”.
Gary was taken to Maghaberry where immediately went on the Republican wing where he was given a warm welcome by comrades and fellow political activists. Then a light-bulb must have lit up in the heads of the Dirty Tricks departments of the British state, it was announced that Gary's life was under threat by fellow Republicans and that he would have to be moved off the wing. This as anyone who is politically aware knows is utter nonsense and a complete fabrication. The screws in Maghaberry moved Gary to a criminal wing of the gaol, where his life would definitely be under threat so he had to remain in solitary confinement. Following in the footsteps of other great republicans, Gary Donnelly refuses to be criminalized, and much like the men of ‘81 embarked on the last form of protest open to him Hunger Strike.
Gary started his strike on Friday 12th March, and over the next week lost over a stone in weight. The NIO stated it was investigating the situation, but that it could take them up to 2 weeks to come to a conclusion, this was clearly a way of prolonging the suffering of this Irish man and his family. Each of the represented groups in Maghaberry emphatically stated that there is no threat on his life, and there were even messages from the outside delivered by a Priest from the IRA leadership to unequivocally disprove this vicious attack on an unrepentant Irish republican. If there is anything that can be taken from this, it is that MI5 have their claws in every facet of life in the 6 counties, and if they see you as a threat they will take every opportunity to put you down and criminalize what you stand for. We must be organised on the outside, and shout this from the roof tops, we must show the people of Ireland that the so called Law and Order in the North is far from under the control of the inhabitants there, and most of all we must be there for men inside like Gary, victims of state aggression and political policing. It won't be as lonely for them in there if they know that we are all out here for them.
We are happy to say that Gary was moved back to the Republican wing along side his comrades and friends, it’s a small mercy in such a disgusting show of strength by the British secret services. Cases like Gary Donnelly’s, Terry McCafferty and Colin Duffy’s must be shown the length and breadth of Ireland and further afield because what the British state is doing is wrong, but what would be worse would be if we let them get away with it.
Republicans have refused and resisted criminalization all through out Irish history and it will continue for as long as there is a concerted effort to enforce that stigma on them. We would like to thank Gary Donnelly, for again showing the British system that we as Republicans won't accept the tag of criminals, and for doing it in such a brave and commendable a fashion. No doubt if they had got away with it this time they would use it in future to place republican volunteers and political activists in criminal wings.
Belfast 32csm
20/03/10
