White line protests against legacy proposals

A SERIES of ‘white line’ protests were held across Tyrone at the weekend as part of a wider day of action by victims’ campaigners opposed to the UK government’s proposals for dealing with the past in the North.

Back in July, controversial plans for an amnesty for all Troubles-related killings announced by the North’s Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis, provoked widespread anger.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, argued that the proposals would help “draw a line under the Troubles”, but families of victims of alleged state collusion accused the British government of attempting to implement the “mother of all cover-ups”.

In order to highlight the strength of opposition to the plans, the ‘Time for Truth’ campaign held protests at 41 locations across Ireland on Saturday, including several in Tyrone.

On the main Omagh to Cookstown road, there was a large turnout at the former home of Kathleen O’Hagan, the heavily-pregnant Creggan woman brutally murdered by Loyalist terrorists in front of her five children in the summer of 1994.

Her family strongly believe that she died as a result of state collusion.

Omagh Sinn Fein councillor, Barry McElduff, attended Saturday’s protest.

He said, “We stood in solidarity with the O’Hagan and McPeake families as part of a national day of action in support of truth.

“Rose Cahill, Kathleen’s sister-in-law, spoke for everyone present when she stated her opposition to the British government’s plan to give an amnesty to Kathleen’s murderers.

“All families deserve truth and justice. The cover-ups need to end.”

Mr McElduff added, “It was powerful because so many of Kathleen’s family, neighbours and friends rallied again 27 years after her murder. Our community has stood in solidarity with, and in support of Kathleen’s family during all those years.”

Protests were also held elsewhere in Tyrone, including Strabane and Coalisland. Sinn Fein’s leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill, who attended the Coalisland protest, said, “Clear and
unequivocal opposition to the British government amnesty proposals from cities, towns and villages across Ireland.”

She added, “I stood in solidarity with families of state violence in Coalisland.”