‘Veiled threat’ to Féile an Phobail festival workers

A SUPPORT GROUP for prisoners opposed to the Peace Process has been challenged by the organisers of Féile an Phobail a “veiled threat” in leaflets naming festival staff and critical of the PSNI policing events in the Falls Park.

Sinn Féin West Belfast MP Paul Maskey and Gerry Adams have both denounced a leaflet distributed to homes in west Belfast by the the Irish Republican Prisoners’ Welfare Association. The IRPWA claims that Féile is “promoting the PSNI” and names individual members of the organising committee and staff of Féile.

Féile is Ireland’s largest community festival, having grown from 1988 to become internationally renowned and featuring top headline acts from music, comedy and drama as well as hosting ground-breaking social and political debates.

● Gerry Adams, a former MP for West Belfast, met with Féile staff in Belfast on Wednesday to demonstrate his solidarity (Photo: Andersonstown News)

Gerry Adams told An Phoblacht that he absolutely repudiates the IRPWA leaflet:

“If this group has an issue with Féile it should have come forward and engaged with the Féile management team.

“Féile is a wonderful, community-centred celebration of west Belfast that has been a focus of reconciliation that has involved people from the Shankill and east Belfast and has been very open.

“Féile has a proud record and it will be defended by the community.”

Féile Director Kevin Gamble said the leaflets are a “veiled threat” and Féile “makes no apologies” for the PSNI policing events.

“At any major event you have to have that element of safety,” he told the Andersonstown News. “We are inviting thousands of people to our events each year and we have to comply with all the required legislation. We have to have the PSNI there as the public policing body.

“We make no apologies for working with the PSNI at those events to make sure our visitors get that sense, that perception of safety.”

The Féile spokesperson added:

“We have events every year where we invite the emergency services into Falls Park to demonstrate the work that they do – be it the Fire Service, Mountain Rescue, Ambulance Service and the PSNI. They are invited to come in and demonstrate what they do. There is categorically no demonstrations of how to use weapons.

“Whoever wrote the letter is happy enough to put the names of the Féile team in it but not happy enough to sign it themselves. We are more than happy to meet with any organisation who has concerns around the Féile programme.

“Our door is very much open but as yet they haven’t approached us.

“For me this letter is totally anti-community. What these people stand for is totally anti-community.”

He said that Féile has been to the forefront of showcasing a change in society over the last number of years.

“We had Chief Constable George Hamilton and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at a key event at Féile last year where we gave the people the opportunity to come and speak directly to the PSNI about any of their concerns – be that about legacy, around the current state of policing.

“Féile has always been used as that platform to challenge other aspects of wider and local aspects of life.

“We were very aware that bringing the Chief Constable into west Belfast, onto the Falls Road, was a very public arena and we have no hesitation or problem with any groups, organisations, individuals wanting to challenge the PSNI and that’s why we provide those platforms.”

He said the threat will not deter Féile staff from delivering “the best programme to date”.