The chairman of hardline political party Saoradh has defended a riot during which a young child was filmed throwing a petrol bomb at the PSNI.
Stephen Murney claimed serious rioting during which a child, believed to be a pre-teen, was filmed throwing the device at police was “inevitable”.
Violence broke out after an Apprentice Boys of Derry parade through the mainly nationalist city on Saturday.
Dozens of people were involved in the disorder near the Bogside during which petrol bombs were hurled at PSNI Land Rovers.
The trouble, which left 10 police officers injured, provoked widespread criticism across the political spectrum and prompted SDLP leader Colum Eastwood to brand the incident “child abuse”.
During a radio interview, the Derry MP said he was sad to see “young children with petrol bombs in their hands and attacking police officers”.
“I was also extremely angry at the people who put them in that position,” he added.
“These things don’t happen by accident, I am sure the people orchestrating it were at a very safe distance.”
Unusually, Saoradh, which was formed in 2016 and has the support New IRA prisoners, has responded directly to criticism of last weekend’s trouble.
Mr Murney accused the SDLP leader of avoiding “the root cause of the trouble that occurred”.
“The riot manifested itself following one of many unwanted annual sectarian rituals that takes place on the edge of the Bogside in Derry,” he said.
“The sectarian hatefest coupled with a heavy crown force presence resulted in young people engaging in rioting.
“When such sectarian hate displays occur the residents of Derry avoid their own city centre.”
The annual Apprentice Boys ‘Relief of Derry’ parade has been contentious in the past.
Parades organised by the Apprentice Boys were the focus of a stand-off between nationalists and members of the group in the 1990s.
Although a deal was eventually brokered, tensions continue to exist.
There was controversy last year after a loyalist band wore Parachute Regiment insignia on their uniform bearing the letter ‘F’.
This was a reference to a former British soldier known as ‘Soldier F’ who has been charged with murdering two people, and five attempted murders, on Bloody Sunday 1972, when 14 innocent Catholics were killed by members of the Parachute Regiment.
In August 1969 three days of nationalist rioting erupted in Derry, known as the Battle of the Bogside, after an Apprentice Boys parade through the city.
During the battle between local residents and the RUC an iconic photograph was taken of 13-year-old local boy Paddy Coyle who was holding a petrol bomb and wearing a gasmask.
The historic image was later recreated in a spectacular mural in the Bogside area of the city.
Mr Murney said that “inevitably trouble broke out recently when yet another sectarian hate march took place” adding that Mr Eastwood offered “no evidence or proof” that republicans orchestrated last weekend’s riot.
“More importantly I would like to directly challenge his comments regarding ‘child abuse’,” he said.
“Colum Eastwood can sit comfortably from afar and berate these young people while ignoring the reason they took to the streets in the first place,” he claimed.
“Would he have condemned a young petrol bomber, Paddy Coyle, in 1969?”
Mr Murney, who is a former republican prisoner, said the SDLP leader has failed to identify the “real reason” for last weekend’s violence.
“Poverty, capitalism, imperialism, sectarianism, and it all stems from British occupation,” he claimed.
Mr Murney said that republicans are regularly the focus of raids and stop and search operations.
“Time and time again children are forced from their parent’s cars as heavily armed members rifle through the vehicle, search their parents and their belongings,” he said.
“For any child to endure this is a form of child abuse, one that undoubtedly has lasting effects.
“On numerous occasions young children have been left traumatised as a result of dawn house raids involving dozens of armed PSNI members.”
Mr Murney said that children’s prospects can also be impacted.
“During these raids children are forced to watch their father or mother being handcuffed and hauled away,” he said.
“Children’s ipads, tablets and laptops are routinely seized as ‘evidence’ during these incursions.
“At times these laptops contain coursework for exams thus Interfering with children’s education.
“On how many occasions has Colum Eastwood spoke out against the above incidents of child abuse?”
Mr Murney said his own children have been singled out.
“I am a father of five children aged from three years to 18 years and they have endured more stop and searches and house raids than most adults,” he said.
“Our children are being punished because of the perceived sins of their parents, and that is wrong.”
