Andersontown News, 19. November 2001, http://www.irelandclick.com/

Life in Alabama Ardoyne - one mother's view

One mother tells her story, this may be upsetting for some readers

As the onslaught directed at primary school children in Ardoyne continues, a court case brought by one of the mothers against the British Secretary of State and the RUC gets under way in the High Court in Belfast.

The mother will not be named in the case to protect herself and her nine-year-old daughter from loyalist retaliation.

Speaking exclusively to the Andersonstown News, the Ardoyne mother tells of their terrifying ordeal and has recounted the abuse in an interview that may be upsetting for some readers.

“When this all started in June, the loyalists in Glenbryn said they had grievances about services provided to them and an incident around the erection of loyalist flag.

“To be honest I don't know if they have genuine grievances, I do know, my daughter and the children at Holy Cross Primary School who they have relentlessly directed this protest at, have nothing to do with that.

“On 19 June my daughter witnessed scenes that a child of her age should never have to see, a mob of about 100-150 loyalists armed with hammers, masks, bats and sticks shouting sectarian abuse attacked a car of a man who lives close to us.

“My daughter watched as they smashed the car windows and tried to drag him from his car, I can only guess to beat him to death in front of her.

“It was over an hour before I found her, she was pale and hysterical, she didn't speak until a day later.

“Other parents were prevented from getting near the school to collect their children, six RUC land rovers at the top of Alliance Avenue stopped parents from getting near the school.

“The RUC never tried to move the protest, instead they told us the children would be brought home via the Crumlin Road.

“The following day I tried to get her to school again, at first she didn't want to go, I only got as far as the local shop and met other parents already returning.

“They said the mob was there again and the RUC had turned them away saying they couldn't guarantee their safety.

“This continued for the rest of the week, on 21 June, I didn't try to bring her to school as there had been talks with the residents of Glenbryn and they said there was no way they would let us through.

On the Friday morning we were turned away again by the RUC from the top of the Ardoyne Road, so we went to school via the Crumlin Road.

“On our way home a car drove up to us and stopped about four feet away from me and my daughter.

“They started calling us – Fenian bastards, saying they would get us, there were six police officers standing nearby, they didn't try to stop them or arrest them they just stood by and watched.

“I was terrified not for myself but for my daughter’s safety, it was then I realised we were not safe going down the Crumlin Road, even though this was the only route permitted by the RUC at the time.”

It was after a week of protest at the end of June that the decision was taken to end the school term early, hopes were that a summer cool-off period would mean the children could go back to school in September free from intimidation.

Parents were under the impression arrests would be made and those responsible prosecuted for the serious criminal offences committed during the June protest. Talks took place during the summer months between community leaders, parents and loyalist protesters.

The efforts proved fruitless and on 3 September, the new school term began with a display of graphic hate and violence against children that no one could ever have predicted.
“The new term started and none of us thought it would be so bad, or even could be so bad.
“On the first day they were shouting calling, Provie Bastards, among other things, they were reaching over and grabbing at the children.

“People were screaming and shouting at the kids, I hid my daughter under my coat to protect her but she was sobbing.
“They were throwing bricks and bottles at us, the RUC did not even try to stop them.
“They were shouting at us, ‘I’ll have a bullet in your head tonight’.

“Since that day we have had a wide range of criminal acts perpetrated against us all, the blast bomb was one of the worst days.
“Just minutes before boys from Glenbryn threw stones and the army lifted their riot shields to protect themselves.

“If it wasn't for that one of the children would have been hit or killed. They have physically attacked us with fireworks, bangers, stones, bricks, bottles and rubbish, balloons filled with urine, dog excrement, pipe and blast bombs.
“They have held up posters and threw pictures with paedophile pornography at the children.
“They have spat at children, they have even been so close to us that one man rubbed spit in a little girl’s face.

“They called children ugly, big ears made vile comments about who their fathers are, things you could not believe that an adult would shout at a little girl.

“My daughter has heard language a drunk man wouldn't know.
“Old women who could be your granny have shouted ‘sluts, whores and we should have burned you out years ago’.

“I honestly believe that none of this would have happened if they had not been allowed to get so close to us without screens or shields being erected.

“I have gone from being a normal mother, to living in fear for my children's life, I have had to leave my home.
“I bring my child to school every day with guns and cameras pointed at us.
“Some days they pick on one parent and child and follow them up the road threatening them, when they do that it is really bad.

“They have thrown hot tea right over the top of the RUC’s heads and in all this time there have only been eight arrests
“Three of those were given bail on the condition they do not return to the protest yet they continue to do so.

“We have been the victims of inhuman and degrading treatment on a continuous basis.
“What hurts me most is that it would be so easy to take a few small steps to offer the children some form of protection.

“Screens that have been used to police 12th of July parades could have been erected to save us from this nightmare, as yet it shows no sign of ending.

“I can only hope this court case will bring this to an end once and for all, and maybe we can begin to return to normal.

“And the damage that has been done to my daughter and all the Holy Cross girls can start to be repaired.”

Journalist: Staff Reporter