the Clock was 20.09 on Saturday night when bilbomben detonated in front of the courthouse in Londonderry. The roar was heard across the entire city.
a Few minutes earlier, the police had evacuated the street after receiving an anonymous tip. No one was injured, and the building received only minor damage.
But the attack, which took place on January 19 this year, has aroused the concern of that old-time violence may return to Londonderry, on the border between northern Ireland and Ireland.
Not least because of Brexit.
a group by the name of the New IRA (the New IRA) was behind the attack – a group that was formed in 2012.
” I get very irritated when I think about it. It is just a small minority that supports them, ” says the 21-year-old sjuksköterskestudenten Caoimhe Wade, who stayed to the outside of the courthouse together with her boyfriend.
Image 1 of 3 Jamie Dentith, 22, and Caoimhe Wade, 21, reacted strongly when they heard that a bomb exploded outside the courthouse in Londonderry on 19 January. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Slide 2 of 3 the Courthouse where a car bomb exploded. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Slide 3 of 3 ”the Court is a symbol of british imperialism’, proclaims a 30-year-old. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Slideshow
Soot and patches of burned rubber left on the asphalt.
the Question is how small there minority is. For when Caoimhe Wade has gone on a 30-year-old man back and want to say a few words.
– Those who made it here should have blown away the whole damn house. The court is a symbol of british imperialism. It was a small bomb! he exclaims.
, as the roman catholics call the city – has had a central and often painful role in Northern ireland’s history.
Image 1 of 4 Londonderry in northern Ireland. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Slide 2 of 4 Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Image 3 of 4 Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Image 4 of 4 Photo: Nicklas Thegerström Slideshow
It was here that the riots broke out in 1969, which became the start of ”The Troubles” – the conflict which then lasted for almost 30 years.
It was here that ”bloody Sunday” took place in 1972, when 14 demonstrators were shot to death by british soldiers.
It was the IRA early got a strong foothold, and kept it in decades.
and protestants were heavily segregated. They go to different schools, live in different neighborhoods, and socialize rarely, other than at the university.
the Barriers separating the residential areas.
Yet it has been relatively quiet since the peace agreement in 1998. Reason: to limit demilitariserats, and that EU membership has made border controls unnecessary.
But this might change now after the Brexit.
Patrick Gallagher, a spokesperson for the radical republican party Soradh, who the police suspected of ties to armed groups. Outside their headquarters, in Free Derry, is a large mural painting. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
” Already today there are cameras for nummerplåtsregistrering at the border. They have destroyed a number of times. It is reasonable to assume that the new physical border posts will be attacked by armed groups, ” said Patrick Gallagher, the spokesperson for the radical, the republican party Saoradh.
as a speculation. But 14 of Saoradhs members in Londonderry has been arrested and interrogated in the last month. Lots of searches and checks have been made. The police seem to have a strong suspicion that the party has links to the bilbomben on January 19.
– We believe that we will be harassed. Our members have been released, and there is not any evidence against them, ” says Patrick Gallagher, who is 26 years old and have a bit more proper appearance than many of the other members.
When DN is visiting the party’s offices in Londonderry, we see a beautiful mural with a masked man carrying a pansarskott. The text reads: ”the Unfinished revolution” (Unfinished revolution). A plate obliquely above the entrance is adorned with a different text: ”Join the IRA” (Join the IRA).
Patrick Gallagher in Saoradhs headquarters along with Christy Gillen and Joe Campbell. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
have three replicas of automatic weapons set up on a wall. When I ask Patrick Gallagher, why they are there, he replies:
– There is a recognition of the historic fight. And in recognition of today’s armed struggle against the occupation.
– We understand why the armed resistance takes place. We understand that there is a wrath of god. We understand that there are those who attack the Uk, ” he says.
Patrick Gallagher weigh their words carefully. Terrorist laws are to exist introduced in the Uk in 2006 makes it illegal to ”encourage terrorism”. It also includes open support for terrorist action. The punishment is up to seven years in prison.
and its goal is a socialist irish republic. Moreover, they want to see a withdrawal from the ”imperialist EUROPE”, but then with the whole of Ireland.
the Organization is growing, according to Patrick Gallagher. He claims that the party now has more than 5,000 members.
the Police estimate at the same time that the New IRA has grown to have between 100 and 200 active individuals. Saoradh denies involvement with terrorist organisations.
Michael Doherty has worked on dialogue and peace-building in Londonderry for more than 25 years. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
is one of Londonderrys most famous bridge-builder and award-winning peace activist. He warns of an impending crisis for the peace process.
– The political låsningarna if Brexit has made that there has been a vacuum, and I am afraid that våldsmännen is on the way to fill it. My understanding is that the militant organisations are growing, and they refer a lot of new members, ” says Michael Doherty.
He is convinced that the new, physical perimeter guards would only aggravate the situation and likely lead to firings and bomb attacks.
– Then waiting for the likely opposition from the protestant paramilitary groups. And so the spiral started.
as the government of Ireland at any cost want to avoid. Therefore, it has insisted on a guarantee in the Uk utträdesavtal – and you got it in the form of a fallback (”backstop”).
Reservlösningen is supposed to enter into force only if the negotiations about the new relationship between the EU and the Uk fail. In that case, would the Uk stay in a customs union with the EU, while northern Ireland may find themselves to keep a part of the internal market regulations.
All in order to keep the border remains open.
But ”brexitörerna” in Theresa Mays governing party, the Tories have rebelled. They look reservlösningen as a trap that the EU set in order to be able to keep the british in their enclosure.
Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
, the unionist party, the DUP have beaten the bucking. Its leadership refuses to accept reservlösningen, then the fear that it could become the first step towards dissolving the union with Britain.
The republican, northern irish Sinn Fein mean, on their side, that northern Ireland should now have the opportunity to hold a referendum on that amount in Ireland.
the Polarisation has been the separation of powers in the local parliament, Stormont to collapse. At the same time challenged Sinn Fein of the other, more radical republican groups.
– There are now at least five-six militant organizations, most of which take a stand against the legal system, and some support the New IRA. But in England they don’t seem to have a clue of what is going on here, ” says Michael Doherty frustrated.
in Westminster are going on a more low-key battle for hearts and minds in cities like Londonderry. Organizations that Saoradh provides social assistance, in the form of clothing, food, and legal support – often in exchange for influence.
in The last month, three ”straffskjutningar” took place in the catholic areas in Londonderry, where the radicals are suspected to have shot the men in the knees or hands as punishment for ”antisocial behaviour”, which drogförsäljning.
Police Robin Young found a bomb that someone was stuck under his car. After he left the corps. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström
police officers. 53-year-old Robin Young was brought up in a protestant family, but has been one of the driving forces towards the radicalization on both sides.
” When my wife and I found a bomb attached under our car, it became too much. My wife saw the man run away from our garageuppfart. Then I got colleagues in the evacuation of several houses round about, says Robin Young.
two weeks ago sentenced the offender for the deed. Then had the Young left the corps.
– It is draining. And that man is not alone. He worked guaranteed with the other, ” says Robin Young, who still goes for a round around the car every day and are looking for explosive devices.
About 30 percent of the corps is made up of catholics. But the vulnerability of the profession makes it difficult to attract new recruits.
” I believe in dialogue, and in close proximity. Unfortunately, there is a tendency among some police chiefs to evaluate. As the number of body searches or number searches. It can of course be justified if there is credible intelligence information. But it also threatens to strengthen the here the story about that they are vulnerable to oppression, ” says Robin Young, currently working civil for peace.
