Northern Ireland

Saoradh says activist's car burned out during Derry trouble

Saoradh has claimed a car belonging to one of its members was burned out during the recent trouble in Derry
Saoradh has claimed a car belonging to one of its members was burned out during the recent trouble in Derry Saoradh has claimed a car belonging to one of its members was burned out during the recent trouble in Derry

Hardline republican party Saoradh has called for an end to recent sectarian attacks in Derry.

The party made the call after almost a week of rioting in the city during which it claims both nationalist and unionist areas were attacked by youths.

Trouble flared in the Bogside area with the PSNI coming under attack from nationalist youths throwing petrol bombs.

In a statement last night a spokesman for Saoradh claimed that a car belonging to one of its activists was also hijacked and set alight.

The party says the activist was trying to halt a sectarian attack when the incident took place.

“Saoradh abhors sectarianism and calls on the working class youth of Derry to desist from their attacks against both the Fountain and the Bogside,” a statement said.

“There is no place in republicanism or in Irish society for sectarianism.

“Saoradh has been on the ground attempting to stop sectarian attacks, in the process one of our activists had his car burned out.”

The statement said that young people in Derry have “have grown up in sectarian segregation” and in “one of the most economically deprived areas in Western Europe.

“This sectarian division and economic hardship are not a natural phenomena they are intentional strategy and policy emanating from successive British governments and the constitutional parties that administer british rule in Ireland,” it said.

“So when the political elite in Derry come together to utter mealy mouthed condemnation they engage in the worst form of hypocrisy, like parasites they live off the sectarian divide that blights the Irish people.”

Republicans say “several youths” have also been hit by plastic bullets fired by police.

“One youth was hit below the throat in an attack that almost claimed his life, Saoradh condemns this orchestrated British crown force violence directed at the republican people of Derry,” it said.