Friends of murdered journalist in ‘ blood protest’
FRIENDS of the journalist murdered by dissident republicans in Northern Ireland placed red handprints over the group’s political headquarters yesterday and said it had ‘blood on its hands’.
Police have blamed the New IRA, a resurgent paramilitary group behind a series of violent attacks, for shooting dead Lyra McKee in Londonderry last week.
In a sign of mounting anger, friends of the 29year-old targeted the office of Saoradh, which authorities believe is the political wing of the terror group. Supporters of the extreme party watched on as Miss McKee’s friends pressed painted red handprints on the outside of Junior McDaid House, a base for several dissident republican groups.
Sinead Quinn said: ‘That’s the blood on their hands. We’re strong women. People have been afraid to stand up to people like this. We are not afraid.’ As a group of ten men emerged from the office to watch the protest, one onlooker shouted: ‘Murderers. Get out of this town. Nobody wants you.’
The protest came as fury towards Saoradh heightened yesterday when the group went ahead with a sickening march in Belfast.
More than 100 members, some wearing the sunglasses and beret outfit favoured by the
‘Beneath contempt’
Provisional IRA, attended the event at Milltown cemetery to coincide with the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The group, which has denied any responsibility, has tried to blame Miss McKee’s death on the police and insists that armed resistance against ‘British occupation’ is legitimate.
Only two days after Miss McKee’s murder, Saoradh went ahead with a similar event in which its members paraded along one of Dublin’s busiest streets.
Dee Fennell, a member of Saoradh’s national executive, told the event: ‘Republicans do not view armed resistance as illegitimate and we are unapologetic about this.’
Irish premier Leo Varadkar, said holding the event after Miss McKee’s death was ‘beneath contempt’.
Miss McKee was killed while standing with a large group of onlookers on the republican Creggan housing estate as a mob threw fireworks and petrol bombs on Thursday night.