National News

ICTU condemns the sectarian murder of Kevin McDaid

Today in Derry trade unionists will take a public stand to express their revulsion at the sectarian murder of Kevin McDaid. Their stance is fully supported by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

The Anti Sectarianism Rally is organised by Derry Trades Council and takes place in Waterloo Place at 1pm. It will be addressed by Mark Langhammer, who is representing the Northern Ireland Committee of thE ICTU.

Patricia McKeown, President ICTU said:

"A few short weeks ago in public demonstrations laid by the trade union movement in response to the murders of two soldiers (Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar) and PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll the Irish Congress of Trade Unions stated that there could be no going back.

"Equally while this society continues to be riven by sectarian hatred there can be no moving forward.

"Kevin McDaid was murdered because he was a catholic. His colleague was seriously injured because he was a catholic and his wife was badly beaten because she was a protestant married to a catholic. This is sectarian hate crime of the worse degree. It cannot be dismissed as the work of hoodlums. The police and the judiciary must see it for what it is. We need the rule of law enforced.

"We also need a very clear response from the NI Executive and NI Assembly. Words of condemnation must be matched in actions and resources particularly at community level to challenge sectarian divisions if our society is to move forward."

Jim Kavanagh: Irish Organiser

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