Supporters of the Real IRA tried to ambush an Olympic Torch bearer as she headed towards the “Peace Bridge” in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, yesterday. It was the worst breach of security since the Torch Relay began 17 days ago.
Nobody was harmed but torch bearer Isobel Coote, a 58-year-old grandmother and community activist, had to beat a hasty retreat across the River Foyle. The pedestrianised Peace Bridge was supposed to symbolise the coming together of a city torn apart by sectarian violence during the Troubles.
Josephine Canning, one of the organisers of the protest, told The Times: “We did not want to do anything to the torch. The plan was just to get a hearing for our complaints against the police.”
Londonderry has been saturated with police, including officers from the Metropolitan Police, in the lead-up to the Torch’s arrival. They began mounting raids in the Bogside — scene of the Bloody Sunday tragedy of 1972 — on Friday night, looking for drugs and weapons. Tensions rose further on Saturday when a police van was attacked with a grenade. As the procession approached the bridge yesterday, demonstrators shouted “SS-RUC!”, a reference to the Nazi SS unit and the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the forerunner of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Police moved in and supporters of the paramilitary group the Real IRA took over, chanting “Free Our Political Prisoners!” and “Let Marian Price go!”
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Marian Price was arrested last year after attending a memorial service for dead IRA activists..“Let’s grab that Torch,” shouted one. “It’s the bloody British!” shouted another after spotting an officer’s Metropolitan crest.
Ms Coote was rushed away and an alternative route to the Peace Bridge was found, scrambling over a low wall and making a dash through traffic.
Mark Durkan, an SDLP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, called the rerouting of the torch “embarrassing”. “We support anyone’s right to protest but that has been abused here today. People are absolutely disgusted that there will be negative headlines coming out of a great afternoon.”
Police said there had been one arrest.