2 September 1999 Edition
SF Assembly member charged over Ormeau
SINN FÉIN Assembly member Sue Ramsey has been charged with public order offences around the civil rights protest against the Apprentice Boys march on Belfast's Ormeau Road on 14 August.
The West Belfast Assembly member was arrested along with three others. All four appeared in court this Tuesday, 31 August, and remanded on bail.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, the Assembly member said:
``The number of people arrested in connection with the Lower Ormeau protest is now reaching the 30 mark. The RUC is obviously out to maximise the harassment and intimidation of nationalist residents and their elected representatives. Once again, it's a case of one law for nationalists and another for unionists.
``For more than a year and a half, unionists have held the nationalist community on the Garvaghy Road under siege. Not one single unionist representative has been arrested despite over 140 illegal protests and parades. Yet both myself and the Sinn Féin councillor for South Belfast, Seán Hayes, have been charged following a peaceful protest on the Ormeau Road.
``RUC claims of impartiality are clearly bogus. As the publication of the Patten Commission Policing Report draws near, we are again reminded of the complete unacceptability of this force.''
The West Belfast Assembly member was arrested along with three others. All four appeared in court this Tuesday, 31 August, and remanded on bail.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, the Assembly member said:
``The number of people arrested in connection with the Lower Ormeau protest is now reaching the 30 mark. The RUC is obviously out to maximise the harassment and intimidation of nationalist residents and their elected representatives. Once again, it's a case of one law for nationalists and another for unionists.
``For more than a year and a half, unionists have held the nationalist community on the Garvaghy Road under siege. Not one single unionist representative has been arrested despite over 140 illegal protests and parades. Yet both myself and the Sinn Féin councillor for South Belfast, Seán Hayes, have been charged following a peaceful protest on the Ormeau Road.
``RUC claims of impartiality are clearly bogus. As the publication of the Patten Commission Policing Report draws near, we are again reminded of the complete unacceptability of this force.''