Protest disrupts tipsy toffs tenor night in Botanic gardens

antrim | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Friday July 01, 2005 23:00 by City of Exclusion

As hoity toity sophisticated professionals, and 'cultured' yuppies sat down to sip their champers and 'enjoy' a night at the opera in Botanic gardens, to whinny along to 'la bohema'.

They're enjoyment was somewhat curtailed by 200 protestors picketing the presence of a Royal Marine band at the lavish Belfast City council's opera in Botanic Gardens.

Victims of state violence were joined by members of the anti-collusion group An Fhirinne, Relatives for Justice and campaigners against Plastic Bullets.

Protestor Pearse Mc Shane, whose unarmed 16 year old brother was shot dead by Royal Marines in Co.Tyrone in 1971 said 'People should not forget that these soldiers were part of the same regiment that murdered my brother.' 'The soldiers responsible for that action have never been made accountable and could even have been organising the band'.

An Fhirinne spokeperson Robert McClenaghan said 'The main purpose of the protest was to highligh the insensitivity and failure of Belfast city council in not taking into account the feelings and experience of victims of state violence'.

Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice said ' This is our city too. We are ratepayers and Belfast city council, which has plaques and windows dedicated to British state agencies, has displayed scant regard for victims of state violence at this event'.

Given that this years Belfast marathon initial route was arranged to exclude republican west belfast and the Falls road, because of concerns for the safety of Hugh Orde who was running in it, the iron grip of establishment secrocrats over civic events is proving difficult to loosen.