19 June 1997 Edition

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James Connolly honoured in Edinburgh

Last Saturday over 700 hundred people took part in the annual James Connolly march and rally in Edinburgh. Marchers from all over Scotland and from the Basque Country joined six republican flute bans as they made their way past Connolly's birthplace in the city centre.

Before the march police with their identification numbers removed and armed with batons and CS Gas spray moved in to the assembling crowd, confiscating red flags and placards demanding the disbandment of the RUC. Senior officers later claimed they found the flags and placards offensive. Police officers stopped many parents, telling them families were not allowed to participate, even quoting legislation claiming they could be charged with endangering their children.

Throughout the march the stewards positioned themselves between the police and the marchers as the 600 police officers on duty circled the march attempting to force their way between the bands. As the parade reached its rally point it was attacked with bottles and bricks by a loyalist gang. Despite the provocation the marchers showed great restraint and determination to honour Connoly with discipline and dignity.

At the rally Jim Slaven of the James Connolly Society promised that republicans in Edinburgh would not be intimidated off their streets. A message of support from Josune Gallategi, a Basque political prisoner, whose sister was on the march, was read out. Josune, currently held as a political hostage in the Spanish state said ``Ireland has always been an example to follow for all small dominated nations in their fight for independence. The Basques have always admired the magnificent effort by Irishmen and Irishwomen to achieve freedom throughout history and feel great sympathy and solidarity with their struggle to reunite the Irish Nation''.

The main speaker at the rally was Sinn Féin's South Tyrone organiser Michelle Gildernew. She told the rally of the need for the new British government to convene all party talks immediately.


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