Bereaved family members lay shoes of loved ones in protest against legacy Bill
The protest was organised by the Pat Finucane Centre.
![Catherine Ellis holds the shoes of her niece Jacqueline outside court buildings in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)](https://static.independent.co.uk/2023/04/17/17/17165953-1612db0f-1a62-4667-bfa8-e97d912e95bb.jpg)
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Your support makes all the difference.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.
Itās heartbreaking what theyāre doing and weād like answers
Ms Ellis brought a pair of her nieceās shoes to the demonstration.
āItās heartbreaking what theyāre doing and weād like answers,ā she said.
Ms Ellis said that victims of violence during the Troubles and their surviving families had been ātotally ignoredā.
āWeāre totally ignored and itās a big let-down to us,ā she said.
The protest was organised by the Pat Finucane Centre, coinciding with political leaders meeting at Queenās 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 Roddyās 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.
āWeāre still trying to get justice, the family are still fighting for justice. We cannot get the soldier to court,ā she said.
āIf this legacy Bill goes through this will all be called to a halt. Weāve waited 52 years for this and weāll not give up and weāre still trying and thatās why Iām here today.ā
Ms Roddy said that victimsā processes for justice were continually delayed.
āVictims have been ignored, we have tried every avenue and went through every possible way of finding justice but itās always held up,ā she said.
Ms Roddy added: āIf itās held off long enough thereāll be no one there to have to answer these charges.ā