A recent Freedom of Information request to the PSNI has exposed a clear link between those involved in Loyalist hate riots last year and serial domestic violence against women. More than half of those arrested in Belfast had previously been reported to the PSNI for domestic abuse. This was also a much higher rate than was seen in the riots in Britain at the time.
Lasair Dhearg spokesperson Amy Margaret said, “The fascists whose vile hatred was on show for all last summer might have claimed to be protecting women and children, but it’s clear that a significant number of them have a deep seated hatred towards women.”
Throughout much of recent Irish history, racists have carried out violent attacks against people from minority ethnic backgrounds, supposedly to ensure women and children are safe. At the same time however, many of them pine for a return to the days when the Catholic Church, one of the largest abusers of women and children throughout history, had unquestioned control over the daily lives of people in Ireland. You would struggle to find any of those leading the pogroms at the head of a protest against the actions of religious institutions. In fact high profile fascists like Hermann Kelly have put significant effort into discrediting abuse survivors whilst Justin Barrett first gained prominence in his campaign against the divorce referendum in 1995.
Amy continued, “Not a single brick was thrown in anger at the murder of 71 year old Mary Green in Belfast last month, or the killing of 28 year old Sarah Montgomery and her unborn child in Donaghadee in June. Despite well known Loyalists in North Down helping to cheer on the recent pogroms across the Six County State, they apparently couldn’t find the time to organise protests against the worsening epidemic of violence against women.”
We know the reality of fascism is that they see the world in terms which make women subservient. They have no regard for their wellbeing beyond that which benefits them. A more sinister reality is that these attitudes and actions have been facilitated by the inaction of the PSNI. That almost 50% of those arrested during the recent loyalist pogroms were previously known to the PSNI as violent offenders demonstrates the inability of so-called ‘policing’ to take violence against women seriously. However, when over £1.5 million has been spent by the PSNI in paying staff suspended for suspected domestic abuse and sexual assault, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Almost 80 PSNI staff have been reported for domestic abuse, sexual assault and rape in a 30 month period.
These attitudes are not exclusive to the those in the Six County State. Almost 90% of women murdered in the Twenty-Six County State were murdered by a partner, or ex partner and a recent report found that the Gardaí are not ‘proactive in tackling perpetrators of violence’ 1. Numerous examples over the years have shown that Garda have been using their position of power to carry out physical and phycological abuse against women 2.
Amy ended by saying, “Regardless of where they, are fascists have no real interest in protecting women and children. They only serve to poison our communities with their hateful agenda, facilitated by the inaction and participation of the state”.
