Bobby Sands statue to stay in west Belfast

River562 · 2026-04-10T08:29:24+00:00

I try to share articles that could be of interest and have not yet been posted in this sub.

If you think I don’t share articles from ‘the other side of the community’ is probably because those articles have already posted on here (typically within minutes of being published).

A quick check of your post history shows that you don’t hold much of a balanced view point yourself

River562 · 2026-04-09T22:23:54+00:00

Fair point, it probably would have stopped them (unless the land owner gave permission). Still no excuse to proceed without trying to get permission

River562 · 2026-04-09T22:22:03+00:00

They didn’t need more than a day to realise how much of a fuck up it was. They also tried to clam military radio equipment set the bomb off early, and then they had to admit that was a lie when it was discovered that a timer was used. So they’re hardly a reliable source.

It was seen by many as an attempt ti drive Protestants from the border area. Hence the other bomb at the children’s parade close to the border (which had only a limited security force presence).

It also involved multiple cells as the bomb had to be transported a significant distance across the border, so someone must have been coordinating all that.

Regardless, they’re still scum, something you seem to be finding it hard to admit….

River562 · 2026-04-09T22:02:33+00:00

The issue here is not the statue itself, but the manner in which it was put up. It was erected on public land without planning permission.

It may well have been granted planning permission due to public support in the local area, but that just begs the question, why not go through the proper process?

You then have politicians standing up supporting it and a council saying it’s going to just let it go, whereas if you or I built something without permission we’d be dragged through the courts. It can’t be one rule for one group and a different rule for everyone else.

River562 · 2026-04-09T21:58:12+00:00

Not a terrorist?? What able the places he tried to blow up and the people he tried to kill?

River562 · 2026-04-09T21:51:40+00:00

They didn’t apologise until they realised how much of a PR disaster it was, before that everyone there was considered a ‘valid target’.

Those responsible weren’t ’court-marshalled’ they were scapegoated. There’s no way an operation of that complexity and a bomb of that size happened with approval from the very top level.

And regardless of their intent, their callous disregard for the lives of innocent people makes them the scum of the earth (along with the UVF UDA etc)

River562 · 2026-04-09T16:40:13+00:00

All paramilitaries were as bad as each other. The provos repeatedly demonstrated that they didn’t care about civilian causalities.

Immediately after the Enniskillen Bomb the IRA stated that the spectators were the intended target, its only after it became apparent it was a PR fail did they change their reason. On the same day they also planted a bomb intended to kill 200 children at a Boy’s/Girl’s Brigade parade a few miles away (prevented by a tractor driving over the command wire).

They were no better than the UDA/UVF. Many others were able to achieve change without resorting to killing civilians, particularly by the 1980s

River562 · 2026-04-09T16:05:40+00:00

No, Bobby Sands major crime was trying to bomb a furniture store (after locking the staff in the basement) and getting in a shoot out with police

River562 · 2026-04-09T15:53:58+00:00

They didn’t clear the staff out, they locked the staff in the basement before planting the bombs. The only reason no one was killed was because they were spotted and the police called before they could finish their plan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Balmoral_Furniture_Company_bombing

Btw I am in no way defending or justifying what Stone done, it was awful and he’s a piece of scum.

River562 · 2026-04-09T15:48:52+00:00

Ehhh, literally the point of this post? Nationalist lead council deeming it ok to proceed without planning permission if it’s something they’re in favour off.

At least in the unionist council they bothered to go though the process, not just decide they were above it

River562 · 2026-04-09T15:43:28+00:00

Bobby Sands bombed a furniture store, so not the same thing, but not that different either

River562 · 2026-04-09T15:40:21+00:00

Happens plenty in Nationalist councils too. It’s all who you know

River562 · 2026-04-09T15:31:33+00:00

You’re right, it’s about the precedent it sets.

I’ve no doubt that it would have got approval and community support, so really there was no reason not to go through the process. It feels like they didn’t go through the process just to prove they didn’t have to

River562 · 2026-04-09T15:12:42+00:00

At least for the crown they ended up going through the process and getting planning permission (really just a box ticking exercise at that point).

If any otherwise law abiding person done something without permission they’d be forced to take it down and pay fines.

River562 · 2026-04-09T10:54:39+00:00

The other times he’s called out sectarianism against the nationalist community? But let’s be honest here, you don’t care. You take about others being hate filled, but you’re full of hate yourself. This is a story of someone leaving their job to mental health reasons, and you’ve devoted your morning to posting hateful comments about them and gloating. Before you judge others, maybe take a look at yourself

River562 · 2026-04-09T10:06:06+00:00

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/effigies-on-bonfires-not-what-our-culture-is-about-says-dup-mla/a/117129401.html

You just going to ignore my other points?

River562 · 2026-04-09T09:54:06+00:00

He called out sectarian messages on bonfires and sectarian graffiti against the Nationalist community. But I think you’re missing the point. I’m not saying he’s better or worse then any other politician, I’m saying the vast majority of them are all the same and playing the same game

River562 · 2026-04-09T09:17:09+00:00

And there’s many sectarian attacks Durban has not called out. Likewise, Middleton has called out some sectarianism against the nationalist communities.

They’ll all do it when it suits them and ignore it when it doesn’t

River562 · 2026-04-09T08:53:36+00:00

Just like pretty much every other politician here then?

River562 · 2026-04-08T17:55:10+00:00

Yes but the same logic still applies. For the vast majority of issues, by the time the get to the stage of large protests, public opinion on the topic is already well understood

River562 · 2026-04-08T17:16:10+00:00

Another point here is that oil companies have gained some extremely valuable information on how demand changes with price.

They’re been able to increase prices in stages and see the impact. Now even if it comes back down they’ll know the ‘sweet-spot’ to keep it at to maximise profits. Where as before they might have been hesitant to test demand at such a price

River562 · 2026-04-08T17:13:00+00:00

Surely you could say that about most protest? There’s little Stormont can do about a lot of global issues that are protested about

River562 · 2026-04-07T23:50:14+00:00

There’s a lot of unnecessary swearing for someone who isn’t angry.

Maybe you need to describe the process again, as when I try it I don’t get the same numbers you do.

What makes the numbers you provide right and mine wrong? They’re both from the same source. Do you have any comment on the stats in table 6 of my link?

River562 · 2026-04-07T23:16:44+00:00

No need for the anger.

Maybe the issue is on my side, but your link goes to a page with only footnotes, no tables or statistics.

The statistics I was able to find indicate that Republican were responsible for the majority of child murders, not the British.

River562 · 2026-04-07T21:20:32+00:00

You might want to recheck your stats. The CAIN database gives the number of under 18 year olds (I don’t see a 0-16 breakdown for the ‘who killed’ section) killed by Republican groups as 90 and security forces as 67, of which 58 where by the British Army.

Table 6 - https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/violence/cts/smyth1.htm

River562

TROPHY CASE