12/01/2009

Gaza Protests Slammed

A city centre protest over the Gaza conflict has been slammed by the DUP who condemned the march as "anti-Israel and 'pro-Hamas".

They said that the presence of a Spanish Eta member - Juan Ignacio de Juana Chaos who is still wanted in Spain - was wrong.

They were also angry that the IRA's Brighton bomber Patrick Magee was there along with IRA Maze escapee Bobby Storey.

Stormont Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson called on the march organisers, the Irish Congress of Trades Unions (ICTU), to "apologise to the people of Spain" for the presence of fugitive de Juana Chaos, who is on bail fighting extradition back to Spain.

Robin Newton East Belfast DUP MLA (pictured) also said that Sinn Fein's solidarity with the people of Gaza event - in an event for the steps of Stormont today - is yet "another bigoted act of blinkered hypocrisy".

See: Peace People Return To Belfast

(BMcC/JM)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

08 March 2024
Additional £3m Announced For Supporting People Programme
An additional £3 million in funding for the Supporting People programme, which aims to the quality of life for vulnerable people through appropriate housing-related services, has been announced by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.
14 February 2024
HMRC Warns Of Bogus Tax Refund Offers
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a warning to Self Assessment tax customers of bogus tax refund offers. HMRC has warned that fraudsters could set their sights on Self Assessment customers, with more than 11.5 million submitting a tax return by last month's deadline.
09 April 2024
Police Attacked By Young People In West Belfast
The PSNI have condemned the assault of four police officers when they were attacked by young people in West Belfast. At around 6:50pm on Saturday, 06 April, police received a report in relation to community concerns that a large group of young people had congregated in Falls Park and that alcohol was being consumed by children.
08 February 2024
'Major Concerns' Young People Being Priced Out Of Education
The Alliance Party has raises "major concerns" that young people are being priced out of access to Higher and Further Education, following the release of NUS-USI's Cost of Living Survey.
30 April 2010
Basque Flees NI As Extradition Looms
A Basque separatist convicted of 25 murders is believed to have left Northern Ireland. Jose Ignacio de Juana Chaos, 54, is wanted in Spain to face a charge of glorifying terrorism. De Juana Chaos, who had been living in west Belfast, was out on bail ahead of an appeal against his extradition.