Northern Ireland

20,000 protest against cuts to hospital in Downpatrick

17 February 2015
Some 20,000 people attended a rally in Downpatrick in Northern Ireland last Saturday to protest against the reduction of services at the Downe Hospital.

Ian Paisley: good riddance to a vile bigot

12 September 2014
One of the vilest bigots these islands have produced is dead.

Kincora abuse investigation halted by MI5, says former intelligence officer

05 August 2014
The MI5 security service covered up child abuse in the Kincora Boys’ Home, Northern Ireland, a former army intelligence officer has said. Brian Gemmell, a former captain in the Intelligence Corps, revealed that in 1975 he submitted reports to MI5’s Northern Ireland head Ian Cameron.

Documents show British ministers ordered torture in Northern Ireland

10 June 2014
British government ministers sanctioned the use of torture against prisoners in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s.

International round-up

03 June 2014
Barcelona riots halt demolition - Clashes on Gezi Park anniversary - Craigavon Two lose their appeal

British state manoeuvres lie behind the arrest of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams

06 May 2014
Gerry Adams, the president of Sinn Fein, was arrested last week.

No immunity for Bloody Sunday soldiers

04 March 2014
Calls to drop prosecutions against British soldiers involved in Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland have been met with anger by family campaigners.

Tories discussed a Berlin-style Belfast divide

07 January 2014
In 1984 the IRA blew up a hotel in Brighton hosting Tories staying for their annual conference.

Kincora scandal papers show links to ‘men in high places’

07 January 2014
Newly released secret state documents do nothing to dispel rumours of a child abuse cover-up at the top, explains Simon Basketter

Those at the top knew about British army's Northern Ireland death squad killings

26 November 2013
Simon Basketter looks at part of the history of British army terror tactics in Northern Ireland and what BBC’s Panorama didn’t tell us about death squads.

Sectarianism takes to the streets in Northern Ireland

13 August 2013
Flag-waving loyalists took to the streets in Northern Ireland last week. Cops fired 26 plastic bullets and used water cannon at one Unionist protest on Thursday.

Northern Irish families sue Chief Constable

06 August 2013
Families of 20 of 300 people killed by British soldiers in Northern Ireland are suing chief constable Matt Baggott, head of the Historic Enquiries Team.

Thatcher planned to send in troops to break miners

06 August 2013
Newly released government documents shed light on secret Tory plans to target miners, Northern Ireland and England’s flood defences, writes Simon Basketter

Activists prepare for protests at G8 summit in Northern Ireland

11 June 2013
Police in Northern Ireland are preparing to arrest hundreds of people during the G8 summit next week.

Marian Price freed

04 June 2013
Marian Price freed

Working class unity can challenge the sectarian riots in Belfast

11 December 2012
Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland have been gripped by an explosion of protests, riots and roadblocks at the hands of Loyalist paramilitaries.

Expert witnesses give evidence to Azelle Rodney inquiry

20 November 2012
The public inquiry into the 2005 police shooting of Azelle Rodney heard from two expert witness firearms officers from Northern Ireland last week.

Violence is at the core of the Northern Irish state

18 September 2012
Sectarian rioting broke out earlier this month in Northern Ireland. It followed a series of provocative Orange Order marches going past the St Patrick’s Catholic Church, just on the outskirts of Belfast city centre.

International news round-up

04 September 2012
Loyalists behind Northern Ireland riots Loyalist paramilitaries were at the heart of organising sectarian riots in Northern Ireland this week.

Mexico 1968: Massacre at the Olympic games

22 May 2012
The Mexico Olympics opened on Saturday 12 October 1968. I know the date because it was exactly a week after the 5 October civil rights march in Derry, generally accepted as the day the Troubles in Northern Ireland started.