If there’s one thing people in the north know only too well after four decades of war, is that the State thrives on intimidation, terror and division in order to control the population.
For centuries the British state in its many guises have used such tactics to direct its imperialist programme here in Ireland and across the world. In doing so, it’s now common knowledge that it trains and advises other states on doing just that, the lessons learnt right here in the six counties.
What’s clear is that in spite of our ongoing “peace process” issues of human rights abuses within the prison and justice system are far from over, having leant nothing from the traumatic events that littered the seventies and eighties the practice of indefinite detention remains a weapon issued by the State. This can be seen with the continuing policy of criminalisation of republican prisoners, the internment and detention of many others such as the Craigavon Two.
Two young men buried within the system on false charges viewed by most as an obvious miscarriage of justice not witnessed since the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four. Their continued imprisonment shows without doubt that society here still has a long way to go to achieve any sense of ‘normalisation’ our politicians repeatedly speak of.
Anarchists in Derry took part in a solidarity rally in the city on Saturday to stand with others to demand the immediate release of local republican activist Tony Taylor imprisoned on the orders of a British Secretary of State. The rally in support of Tony Taylor and his family was a success due to the broad spectrum of political views of those in attendance. Unified pressure must be voiced on the streets if the concerns of the Taylor family are to be addressed once and for all. Openly and through the continuation of mass protest on the streets, not just in the chamber’s of local council or up in Stromont. The political establishment on all levels of power have done little to move the cases of Tony Taylor or that of the Craigavon Two forward as they remain incarcerated.
We demand the immediate release of Tony Taylor and the Craigavon Two whilst calling for the support of other prisoners demands with an end to prison censorship and repression. Lessons from our history shows us that those on the inside need a unified campaign on the outside, similar to that of the ‘Relatives Action Committees’ and free from the control of any one party or organisation. For anarchists, solidarity and direct action on the streets rather than lobbying politicians is our greatest weapon. Until All Are Free – We Are All Imprisoned!
Derry Anarchist Black Cross 