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Bereaved family members lay shoes of loved ones in protest against legacy Bill

The protest was organised by the Pat Finucane Centre.

Claudia Savage
Monday 17 April 2023 17:28 BST
Catherine Ellis holds the shoes of her niece Jacqueline outside court buildings in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)
Catherine Ellis holds the shoes of her niece Jacqueline outside court buildings in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)

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Bereaved family members have laid the shoes of their loved ones killed during the Troubles outside court buildings in Belfast in protest against the legacy Bill.

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill proposes offering immunity for people accused of crimes during the Troubles as long as they co-operate with a new truth recovery body.

It would also stop future court processes or inquests.

Catherine Ellisā€™ young niece, Jacqueline, was killed in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974.

Itā€™s heartbreaking what theyā€™re doing and weā€™d like answers

Catherine Ellis

Ms Ellis brought a pair of her nieceā€™s shoes to the demonstration.

ā€œItā€™s heartbreaking what theyā€™re doing and weā€™d like answers,ā€ she said.

Ms Ellis said that victims of violence during the Troubles and their surviving families had been ā€œtotally ignoredā€.

ā€œWeā€™re totally ignored and itā€™s a big let-down to us,ā€ she said.

The protest was organised by the Pat Finucane Centre, coinciding with political leaders meeting at Queenā€™s University Belfast to discuss the Good Friday Agreement.

The shoes of the victims were laid on the ground outside the court alongside pictures and words from their families.

Marjorie Roddyā€™s uncle, William McGreanery, was shot by British security forces.

Ms Roddy said that her family were attending the protest to show they would not give up the fight for justice.

ā€œWeā€™re still trying to get justice, the family are still fighting for justice. We cannot get the soldier to court,ā€ she said.

ā€œIf this legacy Bill goes through this will all be called to a halt. Weā€™ve waited 52 years for this and weā€™ll not give up and weā€™re still trying and thatā€™s why Iā€™m here today.ā€

Ms Roddy said that victimsā€™ processes for justice were continually delayed.

ā€œVictims have been ignored, we have tried every avenue and went through every possible way of finding justice but itā€™s always held up,ā€ she said.

Ms Roddy added: ā€œIf itā€™s held off long enough thereā€™ll be no one there to have to answer these charges.ā€

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