Derry 1968-2004: The Struggle Goes On

Sunday October 03, 2004 16:56

by Various from Derry

Celebration of Civil Rights March Anniversary Expresses Outrage at Racist and Homophobic Attacks

From The Newswire: I don't really think yesterday's march should be described as a commemoration march. Sure, it was held to coincide with the 36th anniversary of the Oct. 5th march that is seen as starting the whole civil rights movement. But the idea for the march came first and then got hooked into the Oct. 5th thing. Basically, the SEA (Socialist Environmental Alliance) was looking for some way of responding to the high level of homophobic attacks in the city and also wanting to do something about racist attacks (there have been verbal attacks in Derry, but no physical ones). We thought we should link these two hate crimes and then thought the obvious thing to do was to call a "civil rights for all" march and link it to the history of civil rights activism in Derry.

We contacted the Rainbow Project and the people there thought it a really great idea. Since three of the organisers of the original 5th Oct march are associated with the SEA - Eamonn McCann, Dermie McClenaghan and Johnny White - they spearheaded the calls for the march. Having decided to make it a civil rights march, it was clear that the demands had to include Seamus Doherty, a republican 'dissident' who is being framed by the PSNI. In fact, his framing is so obvious that even the police ombudsman is suggesting the officer in charge of his case should be prosecuted for 'perverting the course of justice'. The march managed to smoke out Sinn Fein and even the SDLP to support the campaign against this miscarriage of justice. It was great to see something between 700 and 1,000 people march down Shipquay Street in support of gay rights and civil liberties and against racism - in spite of it being a wet and blustery day.

Photoessay

This is the original post on this subject.

Several hundered people took part in this years Civil Rights commemoration in Derry.

Several hundered people took part in this years Civil Rights commemoration in Derry.

Representatives from most political parties (SDLP, SF, IRSP and SEA) as well as trade union and community organisations (Derry Trades Council, UNISON, Rainbow Project)took part in an effort to so their disgust and outrage at continuing racist and homophobic attacks.

The family of Derry man Seamus Doherty, currently being held on false charges also spoke of his continuied imprisonment.

Derry Rainbow Project activists at yesterdays rally