Violence at Derry City Cemetery: Children of Derry deserve better - McCann

The former People Before Profit Foyle MLA & election agent for Foyle Assembly candidate Shaun Harkin, said that the adults who “encouraged children to throw petrol bombs in Derry at the cemetery on Monday were pushing them into a political dead end”.

“If they really believe that handing lit petrol bombs to 10-year-olds will advance the cause of a united Ireland, or any other cause, they are dangerously unqualified to give leadership to children or to anybody else,” Mr McCann said.

Violence erupted at the Lone Moor Road entrance to the City Cemetery following arrests in connection with alleged offences relating to a Republican Easter Rising commemoration parade in Derry.

Police Land Rovers, which had gathered along Lone Moor Road, were pelted with petrol bombs from behind the cemetery gates.

Mr McCann criticised the PSNI as he condemned those whom he said were ‘coaxing out a response in deprived areas’.

“The vast majority of people steadfastly refuse to be dragged backwards into the cruel past,” he said.

“The Tories are laying waste to the lives of working-class communities. Families are under severe pressure to put food on their table. People are sick with fear about what the future might bring. The health and education systems on which today’s children will depend are chronically under-funded, in many instances close to collapse.

“We need a fight for drastic change. One of the problems facing all working-class people is that the main parties in this part of the world have no fight left in them other than fighting among themselves for seats in the Executive.

“That isn’t the reason petrol bombs were being hurled in Derry on Monday. But it helps create the context in which this came about. The futility of mainstream politics in the North has left a vacuum which can be filled one way or another.

“Some are hell-bent on filling the gap with an age-old ideas which they can dress up as revolution.

“We do need a movement of militant resistance to the unequal way society is organised. But that can only be achieved by masses of people coming together to fight for a better world.

“People Before Profit believes in Irish unity. We need to unite the struggles of Irish workers, North and South. That, it seems to us, is the only perspective in which a united Ireland can become a practical reality as opposed to a colourful ideal.

“People of serious political intent know a rerun of what was tried from the 70s to the 90s isn’t going anywhere. And they won’t encourage youngsters to put themselves at risk by acting as extras in a dangerous drama based on distorted history.

“The children of Derry deserve better.”

Derry & Strabane District Commander, Chief Superintendent Ryan Henderson said on Monday night: “Earlier today, police were in attendance at a notified parade in the city. On the basis of initial observations, participants in the parade were assessed as having potentially committed criminal offences. Police monitored the event closely and, at what was considered to be an appropriate point, took action to secure evidence and make arrests.

“Whilst doing so, police officers came under attack from petrol bombs and masonry.

“Our officers showed tremendous courage and professionalism in what was still clearly a dangerous situation. Fortunately, none of our officers, or members of the public were injured as a result of this reckless and criminal behaviour. Our enquiries will continue over the coming days and weeks to bring offenders to justice.”

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood has also condemned the scenes witnessed in Derry.