Loyalists accused of trying to heighten tensions after kerbs painted outside Catholic school
Posted By: June 30, 2017
IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING
Distributed by Irish National Caucus
“Once again, the Catholic ‘Holy Cross Girls’ school has been subjected to sectarian harassment and intimidation, ensuring that the young girls will live in fear because they are Catholic.(See article below from the Irish News, Belfast). Ironically, some ‘useful idiots’ (useful to the British Government) claim that in exposing this and other horrible Anti-Catholic discrimination, one is impeding progress! That’s like telling African-Americans they should not oppose discrimination — or like telling Jewish-Americans they should not oppose Anti-Semitism— for the sake of progress.God save us from such progress!
Bigotry in Northern Ireland is, in significant measure, an expression and consequence of England’s state-sponsored Anti-Catholicism, which is the foundation stone of the Royal Family. To this very moment, the Act of Settlement, 1701, prohibits a Catholic from inheriting the English Throne. In other words, the very top law in England enshrines, condones and mandates Anti-Catholicism. Like having, in effect and consequence, a provision in the U.S. Constitution prohibiting a Black person from being president. Can you imagine how that would have powerfully promoted and consolidated White racism?”—Fr. Sean Mc Manus
Kerbstones outside Holy Cross Girls Catholic school in north Belfast painted red, white and blue ( colors of the Union Jack].
Connla Young. Irish News. Belfast. Friday, June 30, 2017
NATIONALISTS have hit out at loyalists for attempting to heighten tensions after kerb stones were painted red, white and blue at the entrance of a Catholic primary school at the centre of a loyalist picket.
The kerbstones outside Holy Cross Girls in Ardoyne, north Belfast are believed to have been painted in
recent days.
The letters ‘LA’, believed to be a reference to ‘Loyalist Ardoyne’ have also been scrawled at the entrance to the school.
Loyalist flags have also been placed on lampposts leading to the school while kerbs on other streets in the area have also been painted.
The school, which is in a mainly Unionist area, was at the centre of a picket in 2001 when Loyalists [Unionists/Protestants] attempted to stop children and their parents from walking to it.
Loyalists began picketing the school, claiming that Catholics were regularly attacking their homes and denying them access to facilities.
Children were forced to run the gauntlet of protesting loyalists who hurled sectarian abuse and threw missiles, including bricks, fireworks and pipe bombs, as they made their way to the school.
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly, who called on Belfast City Council to remove the paint, said it was “clearly an attempt to heighten tensions in the run up to the marching season”.
“It is inappropriate. We have always stated that in terms of schools, hospitals and places of worship no flags or emblems should be outside these buildings.
“I would call on Unionist politicians in north Belfast to use their influence to see that there is respect shown to those who attend Holy Cross Girls School.”
SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said he has been contacted by angry parents after the school appeared to be singled out again.
“This school has suffered horrific trauma in the past and for over 16 years there has been positive work ongoing to improve community relations,” he said.
He said peace walls have been removed in north Belfast and both communities have promoted shared space.
“This is a deliberate attempt to set this positive work back and I would ask for it to be removed immediately,” he said.
“I will be speaking to political representatives to ask them to use their influence in helping to resolve this in a peaceful and dignified manner.”
