Four convicted of partaking in Palestine solidarity procession in Derry
Four people have been convicted in relation to taking part in a procession in support of Palestine.
The incident at the centre of the case was described by a prosecutor as 'a minor act of civil disobedience’, with all four being convicted on Wednesday at Derry Magistrate’s Court.
Goretti Horgan (70) of Westland Avenue, Davina Pulis (36) of Knoxhill Park, Robert Paul Maxwell (60) of Rathlin Drive and Jude Coffey (27) of Gartan Square, all in Derry, had been charged with taking part in an illegal procession on February 14 2024.
Previously, two other defendants, former SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood and Derry City & Strabane District Council People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin had also been charged, but Mr Eastwood accepted an alternative disposal and Mr Harkin was found to have no case to answer.
In Mr Eastwood’s case, the charge of taking part in an illegal procession was withdrawn in November 2025 at Derry Magistrate's Court after he accepted an informed warning.
At a previous hearing the court was told that Derry’s MP would be accepting an informed warning which is a diversion.
At Wednesday's hearing this week, District Judge Conor Heaney ruled that the defendants had taken part in an illegal procession expressing what he described as 'legitimate political views'.
The judge said that the procession, which involved a crowd moving from a meeting in the Diamond down Shipquay Street to the Guildhall in Derry city centre, was 'peaceful and brief'.
Horgan, Pulis and Maxwell were each fined £75 and Coffey was fined £150 as he had previous convictions for similar offences.