1 May 1997 Edition
Nationalists in fear in Portadown
By Eoin O'Broin
A Portadown man is fighting for his life in the Royal Victoria Hospital following a savage beating at the hands of a group of 30 loyalists last Saturday night 26 April.
In an exclusive interview, An Phoblacht spoke to the man's friend who was also beaten unconsciousness during the incident.
``We were up at the parish hall,'' said the man, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, ``and on our way home walked down Thomas Street. As we came past a group of young men we were attacked and I was knocked unconscious. It all happened so fast, the only thing I remember was waking up in Craigavon Hospital''.
Asked why the loyalist gang attacked the group of Catholics, the man said, ``there was no provocation, they just attacked us''. The man also condemned the RUC who were sitting across the street and ``did nothing''.
The man's wife told journalists that the RUC were nearby and made no attempt to intervene. ``I ran over to the police,'' said one woman, ``and told the policewoman to get out of the jeep and get some help... I begged the police to get out of their jeeps. They finally came over when the ambulance arrived''.
Sinn Fein candidate for Upper Bann, Bernadette O'Hagan, has accused the RUC of lying, following the release of a statement relating to the sectarian attack. The RUC described the incident as a fight between two gangs and said that a small riot developed. O'Hagan also spoke of the ``fear amongst ordinary nationalist people in Portadown who in recent months have suffered a barrage of attacks. There are nationalists fearful of walking the streets during the day or night because of the situation. They can't even walk safely through their own streets''.
A Portadown man is fighting for his life in the Royal Victoria Hospital following a savage beating at the hands of a group of 30 loyalists last Saturday night 26 April.
In an exclusive interview, An Phoblacht spoke to the man's friend who was also beaten unconsciousness during the incident.
``We were up at the parish hall,'' said the man, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, ``and on our way home walked down Thomas Street. As we came past a group of young men we were attacked and I was knocked unconscious. It all happened so fast, the only thing I remember was waking up in Craigavon Hospital''.
Asked why the loyalist gang attacked the group of Catholics, the man said, ``there was no provocation, they just attacked us''. The man also condemned the RUC who were sitting across the street and ``did nothing''.
The man's wife told journalists that the RUC were nearby and made no attempt to intervene. ``I ran over to the police,'' said one woman, ``and told the policewoman to get out of the jeep and get some help... I begged the police to get out of their jeeps. They finally came over when the ambulance arrived''.
Sinn Fein candidate for Upper Bann, Bernadette O'Hagan, has accused the RUC of lying, following the release of a statement relating to the sectarian attack. The RUC described the incident as a fight between two gangs and said that a small riot developed. O'Hagan also spoke of the ``fear amongst ordinary nationalist people in Portadown who in recent months have suffered a barrage of attacks. There are nationalists fearful of walking the streets during the day or night because of the situation. They can't even walk safely through their own streets''.