Marchers observing a minute’s silence at the Bloody Sunday memorial in Rossville Street in 2014
DISSIDENT republicans are boycotting the annual Bloody Sunday rally later this month on the 46th anniversary of the shooting dead of 14 unarmed civilians in Derry by British paratroopers.
The year’s march is due to be held on Sunday, January 28 in Derry.
But dissident republican group Saoradh – the political wing of the ‘New IRA’ – says it is holding its own ‘anti-internment rally’ the day before on Saturday, January 27.
Saoradh Derry will be accompanied by a number of its branches from across the North of Ireland for a wreath laying ceremony at the Bloody Sunday monument.
Saoradh claims the Bloody Sunday March needs to “get back to its roots”.
It said in a statement today: “After a collective grassroots discussion among the Saoradh membership, an overwhelming decision was taken to withdraw the Party’s support from the Bloody Sunday, March.
“The process of discussion took place following the release of the reformist poster for the event, that quite clearly had a political agenda not linked to Bloody Sunday.
“Bloody Sunday was an Anti-Internment Rally.
“There are currently a number of Irish Republican Political activists from Derry City interned by the British state, the same British state responsible for the war crimes committed on Bloody Sunday.
“Tony Taylor and Neil Hegarty are two glaring examples of continued internment and British political oppression.
“However, the march, and it’s fringe events, has morphed into a platform for a constitutional political party.
“The contradictory, and at times hypocritical material released in promotion of this year’s Bloody Sunday rally, has ostracised a large section of support for the march.
“There is also serious concerns about the committee that oversees the march, who appointed them? How do they make their decisions?
“Bloody Sunday survivors and victims relatives have cited the lack of a clear democratic process regarding the Bloody Sunday March committee and the inability, despite repeated attempts, to join the committee.
“Until such a time as the Bloody Sunday, March returns to its roots, we, as a movement, will mark the anniversary and continue to highlight modern British internment and ongoing political repression,” added the Saoradh statement.
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