Gerry Kelly and Bobby Storey save Brits from beating?

Apparently, during Monday's outbreak of violence in North Belfast, Provisional Sinn Fein members Gerry Kelly MLA and Bobby Storey, with members of the Provo Police, pleaded with the rioters to calm their tempers and not to cause harm to a huddled group of a dozen British soldiers who were encircled by the crowd.

This is hypocrisy at its worst. In the 1970s, these long-time, high-ranking PIRA members would have been throwing stones and bricks right alongside these angry nationalists. But now, after NOTHING HAS CHANGED, they are suddenly pro-Brit?

The Brits are still occupying Ireland; the only difference is that they now have a mandate from the Provisionals to do so. The Pro-Brit "nationalist" MLAs receive their British paychecks and accordingly help fortify the British position in Ireland.

There were actually whispers after this ridiculous incident of "list making" on the part of the Provos. Taking the names of the people defiant of Mr. Kelly's wishes. The truth about this is not known, nor should this claim be taken as truth; I don't recommend spreading this rumour, but its worth taking in. (I doubt that these people will be sent commendations from the Provo leadership.)

It's one thing to decide that your fight is no longer sustainable, but to do a complete 180 degree turn and actually aid those you were killing only a decade previously is just complete casuistry.

I do understand the fact that were the rioters to have seriously harmed the Brit soldiers, there would have been repercussions both by the RUC/PSNI and the occupying forces; but the fact remains that these people were expressing their anger towards occupation and hypocrisy; and they should have been allowed to continue their expression unheeded; especially by the Provo Police. These people were unjustly put under siege all of Monday so a bunch of Orange bigots in their pretty sashes could take their anti-Catholic march thru a Catholic neighbourhood.

I also understand the situation involved a number of women and children. But most of those children were no younger than Kelly and Storey would have been when they picked up their first brick to throw during a riot.

While riot situations are out-of-hand at best, they are an expression of the opinion of the people as a group, a community. These people are furious at being subjected to the flat-out sectarian nature of Orange-ism and viewed attacking the occupying soldiers as a justified means to outlet this anger.
  ¶ 2:23 a.m.