visit. Mike Pinter reports.
In the space of four days before the Queen's arrival, Belfast was rocked by two huge, militant and well-disciplined demonstrations down the length of Falls Road, The first, marking the anniversary of internment OUTENE August, mustered upwards 10,000 in support of political status for the repubicun in H-block cialist prisoner angkesh and C-Wing Annae Gaol Joinily organised by the Relaties Action Commitiee and Sinn Fein, the march washeaded by tWo. banners that nroclaimed. Frcoine soners — free the people: and Defend political status. Though MINES LISTEN AT SOORLY deD of the anniversary of internment commemorations, August showed the increasing willingness of the anti-unionists to come out onto the streets on bebalf l poutical prisoncis. It was the largest display yet of support for political status. Three days later, the Queen PLANS ARE underwuy in Birmingham for a day of inquiry into abortion as part of the build-up for the national demonstration in the city on 29 Cetober, called on the National Abortion Camp aign. Although Benyon's Ball has fallen, there is every indicalion that the pro-choice movement needs to step up the camprign for women's abortion rights.
Last month Mary Huckins was fined a total of E341 and ordered to pay compensation of £134 by Bristol magistrare. Her sarnsed up the choose' nod "Beat Benyon's BiD', *Abortion - ACO 31L157 Besides inis vicious use of the againsT campaigners, nother source tor concern is the Tumour that David Bnnals, In the aftermath of the Queen's visit to the occupied Six Counties, the British Army has unleashed a sustained anti-unionists which brought upwards of 25,000 people onto the streets in open opposition to the foreign Queen's arrived, As if to symbolise what her visit meant for anti-unionist areas under occupation, the Army shor dead a 16-vear ald YoUtn Paul MeWilliams, in the Bally murphy area. According to the Army, Paul was throwing petrolof bombs; they had given him two warnings, then deliberately shotto This version was Immediately disputed by on-the spot witnesses. The anger of the people erupted in a wave of hi-jackings, and barr cades. A few hours later a soldier in the same regiment was shot dead in retaliation.
The intense campaign of repres sion which the Army embarked on the Markets murphy especially hard. Nightly swoops on ghettoes average of 30 arrests each timefilled the blocks of cells in Bellast prison and Longkesh which were reported to have been cleared to hold the decainees. People arrestod were held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act our of the way during the visit.
The city centre was totally sealed off and swamped hy newly arrived troops. Every "suspicious person wasscreened, asked where they came from and if they had been lifted before. Workers were arrested at the thought might be At the Royal Victoria Hospital, the arrest of members of HOC STATE DOWER A SHAG BELI the men were released.
Despite these repressive measmarch of 10 August rganised by the Provisional Sin Fein and the RAC from Andes sanstown to the city centre will ge downin history as the largest showe of active opposition to the British tried to ignore it hut couldn't. On television that night, the banner at drafted. Without any doubt this will be based an compromise, not on the principle of a woman's right to choose That's why is is vital that we abortion on existing and against SERICES CH WASTI crime? limitations of the 1967 Abortion slogans Act are especiaily Barmingham A mere in ten abortions carried out aILS NHS. Birminghan major bospital Sec South allto see: The Queen of Death.
Well over
marched during the day, and that night opposition contieued in most antiunionist areas. The largest was in putting the Queen on trial for crimes against the trish people, an were paraded outside the local harracks and burn.
OUTH TAT AS DO CATE CIR tive of the anti-unionist minority the Queen, SDLP The Protestant masse: didn't even catch a glimpse of the Quece. The mass opposition of assteadfastasever, thanks in large part to the role Relatives Action Commitee.
Butsincethe day after the Queen of Death's visit, the British Army the initiative and courage demon strated by the resistance of the salicnalist minority. The area the Army chose was Greater Ander especially and Bally. Lodge estate. The regiment responsible for inflicting this terror was the marines- for seven - to keep them by the Arm Army ИЛ 0 14812 Marine Commandos. About 200 troops participated.
The case of Leo Martin -one out of many people who have been barassed, battered and toe tured — best describes the work of the Army on the afternoon of 12 down to to fight for free one aborabortion any future tion a yearThe evident in of all in the BIC On (ne Selly LE NASSHIL displays not even the plased by the the the 45th August Monagh punched in a concrete had survived.
as well Despite this.
- only order. than 12 months.
words year cinte.' Loo Martin was arrested ar 1pm He was kicked, punched, hit with rifle butts and batons. His shirt was ripped from his back and his dragged by the hair and thrown into an Ariny vehicle where he was The was kicked and shot.
Then he was "exgmined hy doctor in the presence of the soldiers engaged in beating him. Every According to his doctor, It was the worst case of beating be hac ever seen from which the victim Martin suffered bruises all over the body and legs, particularly the groin; two frac tured ankles, fractured ribs. . multiple lacerations on the bead; hur The was kept hospital only two hours, removed to Castlereagh, He wa served with a seven-day detention While it was Turf Lodge that suffered the bulk of the atrocities, athet parts of Andersonstown of 19741 More recently, a loca community health council heard the case of a woman who was refused belp on abortion an NHS consultant despite the fact she had a life expectancy of less The reactionary attitude p sany consultants in Birminghan e in large part responsible I is appalling situation. In t of one of these Birminghan) in 1952 We said is cbere rcally a case for abortion?
..Is there one woman who really noods an abortion? The answer is very few, We got down to one a - now that's talking medisuffered. And all week afer thi day of cerror, the Army continued to mete out similar treatment. The official pretext for chis cam sterocan. Homere Army had already invaded Turf Lodge and were ransacking homes nearl two hours before the soldier mu doubtedly the reaction of ant unionists to the Queen's visit person Monagh on the Friday afternoon was instructed to sing God Save the Queen' none complied! In attempting to impose British authority on the people of Ander sonstown, the British Army has failed. For a militant people wbo havebornethe brunt of repression over the last year, and who have beendeterinibed to make their op position felt in public protest on every occasion of British brutality in the estate, the indiscriminate Whats Left saturation and curfew of Friday affernoon the worst instance wet a the memones of t residents — has only served to teinforce their militancy.
On the following Sunday after DOOD, 8t a meeting attended by some 250 oca Beople, M was decided to embark on a campaign to break down the media's wall of silence. Andersongtown barrack. has been continuously picketed The Women's Action Committee has been re-established to provide localleadership:
The people of Turf Lodge and Andersonstownderbanded secured - of Leo Martin, and the withdrawal o troops inam Turf Lodge and th is up to the workets movement in Britain to adopt the example of Turt Lodge, and demand le immediate wichdrawal of British forces from the area, and from the entire Six Counties.
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campaign of terror in parts of West Belfast. The Army's obvious intention is to destroy the mass militancy of the