RNU SLAMS POLITICAL ARRESTS

RNU SLAMS POLITICAL ARRESTS

Slamming today’s arrest of leading Republican, Marian Price of the 32County Sovereignty Movement, a mere 48 hours after the equally groundless detention of Tony Catney one of the leaders of the Republican Network for Unity (RNU), Danny McBrearty speaking on behalf of RNU noted as follows:

“These tactical arrests of respected leaders of Republican groups are part of an obvious British strategy of repression and intimidation of those Republicans who oppose British rule and recognize that Stormont is a trap designed to copper-fasten that rule. These arrests prove the point more eloquently than anything that could be said.

“Marian Price recently concluded a highly successful general meeting of the Sovereignty Movement in Derry. Tony Catney was seized at Belfast Airport following successful RNU meetings in Glasgow. Both of these groups are open, political groups lawful even under repressive British law. Moreover these groups are part of the IRISH REPUBLICAN FORUM for UNITY (IRFU), which has mounted and mobilized a series of protests at DPP meetings.

“The crown is reacting to growing Republican disquiet by targeting prominent Republicans who are seen to be organizing that opposition .British repression has never silenced or defeated Republicans; it has only provoked political resistance. The British may tout the reticence and refusal of Sinn Fein to criticize and condemn the arrests of these leading Republicans as a green light for British repression, but the British are merely branding those who joined constabulary partnerships as partners with the constabulary in British repression”.