IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE® NEWSLIST
www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
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Subject: WHITE LINE PICKETS CONTINUE IN CHICAGO
Date: June 25, 2005

CHICAGO – IFC CONTINUES PICKETS FOR THE 16TH CONSECUTIVE SATURDAY.

The Chicago Cumann of The Irish Freedom Committee will continue weekly pickets this Saturday from Noon to 2PM at the British and Free State Consulates, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, at the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue, located in the Wrigley Building.

The IFC has held pickets at the British Consulates every Saturday since St. Patrick's Day weekend; this Saturday will be the 16th weekend in a row that these Political Status pickets have taken place. Our pickets have been totally peaceful and very informative to crowds on the busy, tourist-filled street. We have received extremely encouraging feedback from passers-by and motorists, and even a few Chicago police!

Our group display placards, a large tri-color and a large banner reading "RESTORE POLITICAL STATUS TO IRISH REPUBLICAN POWs". We distributed informational fliers describing the ongoing crisis at Maghaberry and other prisons; the denial of human rights and the criminalization of political prisoners. We also distribute information on the failure of the "GFA" to deliver peace for the Irish or sovereignty for Ireland.

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SPECIAL NOTICE
Last Saturday, June 18, 2005, we distributed literature describing the harassment, intimidation, and criminal attack upon a group of young Irish Republicans by the 26 County Special Branch police, in which the occupants of a house were attacked in the early hours of the morning by a gang of Jack-Booted thugs; the Free State Security Forces, who were fully armed and intent on doing bodily damage. The building they attacked was seriously damaged and the youth group was terrorized and beaten. The following is a brief report by P.R.O. Na Fianna Eireann , the group that was attacked on the weekend of June 10, 2005.

“Members of Na Fianna , supporters and members of RSF were in a senior member of Na Fiannas house in Tallaght celebrating the success of the Frank Gartland Tribute night on Friday . The celebrations went on into the early hours . At approximately 05.45 members of the ERU (Emergency Response Unit) and members of the Special Branch appeared at the living room and kitchen windows brandishing handguns . There were calls for the front door to be opened , while the Fian was in the process of unlocking the front door it was broken in on top of him by battery ram . Fianna members and RSF members were kicked and beaten and had 9mm handguns shoved in their faces . Fianna supporters in the house also had guns pointed at them and received kicks and punches .
Na Fianna and others present struggled with the Free Staters and tried to defend themselves but received only harsher beatings for this . The people who were not members of Na Fianna were then locked in a room under armed guard while the house was ransacked and sleeping Fians and supporters were dragged downstairs to receive the same treatment as their comrades .
RSF members from Kerry and from the 6 occupied counties were then both arrested under section 30 of the offences against the state act and taken to Tallaght barracks . The occupants of the house were held captive there for more than two hours .
We hope to show you the photographs of just some of the injuries received by those present in the house . It is Na Fiannas opinion that this was an attempt by the 26 county Free State to steal the money raised from the function in as they did with the money raised by RSF at the Ard Fheis .”

SOURCE LINK: admin2.7.forumer.com/viewforum.php

Every week the Irish Freedom Committee pickets are monitored and observed by shady characters emanating from the British Consulate, but their action is nothing compared to the State sponsored criminal acts against these individuals in the 26 Counties on June 10th. The IFC view this incident as a flagrant abuse of authority. This act was criminal and intended to instill terror in those who were subjected to it, and we object to this illegal behavior. We intend to protest the Free State Consulate in Chicago every Saturday along with our protest of the British Consulate. Since they are located in the same building we will merely be expanding our ritual Saturday protest at the Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue at the River.

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Crowd response to the IFC pickets has been fantastic, with many people stopping to talk with us at length about the situation, and what they can do to help. Many people have committed themselves to adopting a POW to write to, and tourists from across the country have inquired about getting more involved in their areas.

The Irish Freedom Committee continues the work in the United States of raising awareness of ongoing human rights abuses for Irish Republican POWs in British and Irish jails, and the loss of Political Status under the designed-to-fail "GFA" Peace Agreement.

For more information about joining the Irish Freedom Committee in your area, or joining our Political Status pickets, please contact The Irish Freedom Committee through our website link below or send an email to: Saoirse-at-irishfreedomcommittee.net (substitute @ for
-at-)

Tiochfaidh ár Lá!!

PHOTOS
members.freespeech.org/irishpows/IFC_INFO/E
VENTS/pickets_photos.htm

OR go to EVENTS and scroll down to Political Status Pickets listing.

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