28 November 2002 Edition
Get off our streets
A protest was organized by FARM (Farmers and residents against military bases) on Sunday 24 November in Roslea in response to the increasing level of British Army patrolling in the Fermanagh area. Thirty five protesters came out of their houses in and around Roslea village and confronted an eight-man army patrol accompanied by a PSNI officer. The protesters had whistles and hooters which were blown during the peaceful protest. The patrol was also videoed and photographed to record the intrusion.
Seeing the protestors moving towards them on the edge of the village, the foot patrol began to run along the Monaghan Road towards the border. Motorists on the main road were greeted with the sight of the patrol running from the village, with protestors and placards in pursuit.
When the protestors caught up with the patrol they spread out and walked with placards beside each of the military personnel. The placards said "Tony Blair - Get this gunman off our streets" and "Implement the agreement - send this gunman home".
Because there was so much noise, the PSNI man couldn't radio the barracks, so he resorted to sending a text message from his mobile.
The patrol continued at speed out of the village and took to the fields to cheers and claps from the roadside as they scurried up the field. Half an hour later, two helicopters picked up the patrol from the field.
There is an increasing level of military activity in the Roslea area. On Tuesday morning RIR personnel had at least six different checkpoints in the village between 7.30am and 10.30am. The local nationalist population are very unhappy with PSNI and army activity in the area and are demanding that it ends at once.
Seeing the protestors moving towards them on the edge of the village, the foot patrol began to run along the Monaghan Road towards the border. Motorists on the main road were greeted with the sight of the patrol running from the village, with protestors and placards in pursuit.
When the protestors caught up with the patrol they spread out and walked with placards beside each of the military personnel. The placards said "Tony Blair - Get this gunman off our streets" and "Implement the agreement - send this gunman home".
Because there was so much noise, the PSNI man couldn't radio the barracks, so he resorted to sending a text message from his mobile.
The patrol continued at speed out of the village and took to the fields to cheers and claps from the roadside as they scurried up the field. Half an hour later, two helicopters picked up the patrol from the field.
There is an increasing level of military activity in the Roslea area. On Tuesday morning RIR personnel had at least six different checkpoints in the village between 7.30am and 10.30am. The local nationalist population are very unhappy with PSNI and army activity in the area and are demanding that it ends at once.
