Anger at teen ‘gun’ display in Dungiven

DUP MP Gregory Campbell has said that it is “totally reprehensible that impressionable young teenagers” would be allowed to hold a replica of a weapon used in acts of murder by the IRA, during re-enactments at the ‘National Hunger Striker Commemoration’ event in Dungiven last weekend.

The East Londonderry MP said that there were: “Very serious questions that need to be answered.

“From what I have seen in photographs of the event, very prominent members of Sinn Féin were in attendance.

“Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was in attendance, MEP Martina Anderson and other prominent Sinn Féin members such as Cathal ÓhOisín – so obviously Sinn Féin were quite prominent in the organisation of the event.”

He added: “That is a photograph of someone who is certainly a young teenager posing with what I presume must have been a replica. Any re-enactments with impressionable young teenagers using a replica weapon - which represents a real one which was used to murder people - is wrong.

“For someone who looks like they are no more than 14 or 15 to be permitted to portray this– which is what the real weapon would have been used for – and to put a young person on the front line like that is totally reprehensible.

“Whatever about re-enacting the blanket protests – this is a re-enactment about murder.”

The Soviet made AK-47 was amongst the most deadly of terrorist weapons used in the Troubles claiming scores of lives.

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, quoted in the local press, said: “What’s clearly striking by today is the number of young people who are not just attending the march, but participating in all of the side events and young people who have been politicised by the hunger strikers, and the peace process also.”

Mr McGuinness also said that the town of Dungiven was “massively supportive” of Sinn Féin and the peace process.

“It is a very proud town, which shows in election after election, and in the course of recent times, is massively supportive of the peace process and the work Sinn Féin is doing trying to change the political landscape for the better,” he said.

A crowd estimated to be in excess of ten thousand took part in the march through the County Londonderry town on Saturday afternoon. Marchers and bands from all over Ireland, Scotland and Liverpool were in attendance, alongside Sinn Féin members such as Stormont Minister Michelle O’Neill and former East Londonderry MLA Francie Brolly.