Sinn Féin to picket RTE

[Cael]

Press Release/Preas Ráiteas

Republican SINN FÉIN Poblachtach

For immediate release




RSF TO PICKET RTÉ HQ

“Our Voice Will Not Be Silenced”

Republican Sinn Féin have announced that they are to picket RTÉ's Montrose Headquarters in Dublin on Saturday, 1st December. RSF National Publicity Officer, Richard Walsh, said that the protest was intended to counter-act censorship by the Broadcaster.

“During the Stormont election campaign within the Six Occupied Counties – preceding the March 7th poll, and our recent (103rd) Ard-Fheis in Dublin, RTÉ sought to deny us our voice. What is allegedly the National Broadcaster has effectively reintroduced the anti-democratic provisions of Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act in a bid to silence those opposed to the erosion of Irish National identity.

“We, as the oldest political organisation in the country, are determined to prevent the continuation of this policy. As such, we urge fellow citizens to defend Republican and democratic values by assembling at Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 at 12 Noon.”


ENDS

[Cael]

Dont know what happened to the font on that title, maybe the mod could correct it please. Go raibh maith agat.

[scarface]

Dont know what happened to the font on that title, maybe the mod could correct it please. Go raibh maith agat.

no bother i just fixed it

[RDX]

Assembling at Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 at 12 Noon on Saturday, 1st December.

Just a reminder. ;)

[Hessian Peel]

RSF should be at the picket of Glasnevin Shell garage on Saturday instead. :)

[Kat]

I think RSF has done a fair bit to protest against Shell. And will do more.

This Issue is a big one too. RTÉ proports to be the voice of Ireland, but is seems pretty difficult to get any voice out there. Not just RSF should be picketing, but underepresented people all over Ireland. Democracy cannot function properly without a media that engages it.

Cheers to RSF.


http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85130&comment_limit=0&condense_comments=false#comment214287

Brief report and a few photographs ...
by Sharon . - Individual Sat Dec 01, 2007 17:48
Hi !

The anti-censorship picket on RTÉ went ahead today as planned : between twenty and thirty protestors , with leaflets , placards , a banner and a hand-held loud-hailer stood and/or marched outside the Nutley Lane entrance of the RTÉ premises .
The 8 degree temperature of the weather , plus the strong , chilly wind , and the icy rain , kept - for the most part - the four Special Branch 'operatives' in their cars but , like us , the six uniformed Garda were without shelter !
Good support was received from members of the public walking/driving past , and 'thumbs-up' signals were noticed from the drivers and passengers of some of the cars driving out of the premises itself.
A letter of protest (see below) was handed-in to RTÉ management by the President of Republican Sinn Féin , Ruairí Ó Brádaigh .
A proper report of this assembly will be published in the December 2007 issue of 'Saoirse' , which will be on sale from the fifth of this month .
Text of Protest Letter -
"An tArd Stiúrthóir RTÉ / Director-General RTÉ
Údarás RTÉ / RTÉ Authority
Donnybrook
Dublin 4

Litir Oscailte/ Open Letter

A cháirde

Beatha agus sláinte ! In recent years RTÉ has failed to give publicity to the oldest political organisation in Ireland , ie Republican Sinn Féin , which was founded in 1905 . Following the ending of official censorship under Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act in 1994 , a limited amount of air time was given occasionally to the organisation .

However even this has now been withheld . The most glaring examples of such during the year 2007 have been the Stormont elections and the Ard Fheis of November 10 and 11 .

In February and March Republican Sinn Féin , finding that there was no longer a political test oath required for nomination in the elections referred to , put forward six candidates . These were nominated in six constituencies : East Derry , West Tyrone , Mid-Ulster , Fermanagh-South Tyrone , Upper Bann and West Belfast .

Our organisation , its candidates and their vigorous election campaign were totally ignored by RTÉ throughout February and March . Indeed , on polling day , March 7 , writer and commentator Joe Tiernan, speaking on the TG4 current affairs programme 'Seacht Lá', said that there was a black-out on publicity for Republican Sinn Féin and that there appeared to have been an agreement between the various channels to this effect .

Our 103rd annual Ard Fheis was held during November . Over 150 delegates from the 32 Counties with representatives from England , Scotland and New York gathered in Dublin and debated more than 100 resolutions over a weekend . There was not a single reference to this on RTÉ television or radio during the two days , November 10 and 11 . Yet that same weekend very full coverage was given to British Army commemoration ceremonies held in various parts of Ireland .

RTÉ's claim to be a national broadcaster is shown to be hollow as they refuse to allow all points of view to be represented on air . An anti-national agenda which seeks to normalise English rule in Ireland is being promoted while at the same time the outlook of that section of the Irish people who still value our language , culture and history is largely ignored .

Republican Sinn Féin is a political organisation which opposes British rule and the enforced division of Ireland . It give voice to the age-old aspiration of the Irish people for national independence . RTÉ is attempting to silence that voice .

In protest against this attitude of RTÉ , Republican Sinn Féin have announced that they will picket RTÉ's Montrose headquarters in Dublin on Saturday , December 1 at 12 noon , assembling at Nutley Lane , Donnybrook . We call on Irish people to support our stand for freedom of speech .

Ar son na h-eagraíochta .

Is mise

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
President
Republican Sinn Féin . "

Text of leaflet distributed to the public -
" Since the ending of censorship under Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act the 26-County state does not officially have a broadcast ban on Irish Republicans. However the reality is that the state broadcaster RTÉ refuses to give airtime to those who oppose the continued British occupation and partition of Ireland .

Despite fielding six candidates in the Six-County Stormont elections in March 2007 , Republican Sinn Féin was ignored by RTÉ for the entire election campaign . On polling day , March 7 , writer and commentator Joe Tiernan, speaking on the TG4 current affairs programme 'Seacht Lá', said that there was a "complete block" on publicity for Republican Sinn Féin and that there appeared to be an agreement between the various channels to this effect .

On November 10 and 11 this year Republican Sinn Féin held its 103rd Ard Fheis , on the same weekend RTÉ reported and promoted British army remembrance ceremonies throughout Ireland whilst refusing to cover the national conference of the oldest political organisation in Ireland .

RTÉ lays claim to be the 'national broadcaster' yet they refuse to allow all points of view to be represented on air . An anti-national agenda which seeks to normalise British rule in Ireland is widely promoted while at the same time the outlook of that section of the Irish people who still value our language , culture and history is largely ignored . Republican Sinn Féin is the only political organisation which opposes British rule and the enforced division of Ireland . We give voice to the age-old aspiration of the Irish people for Irish national independence . RTÉ are attempting to silence that voice . The Republican voice will be heard ."

Thanks!

-Sharon

http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/dec2007/rsf_statement_and_leaflets__sat_1st_dec_07..jpg


http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/dec2007/rte_dec_1st_07.jpg


http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/dec2007/rsf_protest_at_rte__sat_1st_dec_07..jpg