Michelle O’Neill and Mary-Lou McDonald to be questioned by police over Garvaghy Road protest
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald are to be interviewed by police in relation to their attendance at a protest that blocked the first Drumcree Orange Order march in almost 30 years.
Both women announced on social media on Monday afternoon that they will attend interviews with the PSNI this week.
A number of Sinn Féin representatives, including executive ministers and MLAs, were pictured on the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road over the course of a nearly fortnight-long stand-off.
Stormont Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey, Donegal TD Pearse Doherty, North Belfast MLA Caral Ni Chuilin, South Belfast MLA Deirdre Hargey, Senator Conor Murphy, Sinn Fein councillor Catherine Nelson and People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins also confirmed on Monday they had received letters inviting them to attend an interview.
In late September, the Parades Commission granted the Orange Order permission to march down Garvaghy Road for the first time for since the 1990s, but the march was unable to go ahead as thousands of protesters blocked the road.
In a post on the social media network X, Ms McDonald said she will be interviewed by the PSNI this week “in relation to the peaceful protest on the Garvaghy Road”.
“I stood with the Garvaghy Road residents to protect 28 years of peace and progress, and it was the right thing to do,” she added.
“From right across Ireland and the world, people stood and spoke with one voice to say clearly that they would not be dragged back to the past.
“The Garvaghy Road community has the right to free from sectarian intimidation and harassment. There is no going back. Not now. Not ever.”
Expressing similar views, Ms O’Neill said in her post: “I will be interviewed by the PSNI later this week in relation to the peaceful protest in solidarity with Garvaghy Road residents.
“Alongside many others, I was proud to stand with the Garvaghy Road community to protect 28 years of peace and progress.”
She went on: “I will always stand up for what is right. We have come too far to allow our society to be dragged backwards to the days of domination and supremacy.
“Everyone must be allowed to live their lives free from sectarian intimidation and harassment. There is no going back – not now, not ever.”
Ms O’Neill and three other Sinn Fein ministers faced, ultimately unsuccessful, motions of no confidence from unionist parties, who contest they broke their pledge of office by attending demonstrations on the Garvaghy Road.
DUP MLA Gareth Wilson said in the last 10 years 73 people have been convicted of obstructing a public road, with four receiving custodial sentences, four a community sentence and 52 got fines, before asking Ms O’Neill which she and her colleagues “deserve if the course of law is followed”.
Ms O’Neill replied: “I will deal with whatever processes come my way, but you are not my judge, and you’re not my jury. You do not get to adjudicate.
“I will deal with the processes in my time and in my way. So, I’m sorry, but you’re not going to get the answer from me that you want.”