"You’re Searching Me Because I’m a Working-Class Republican": Activist Confronts PSNI Intimidation

A PSNI stop-and-search has exposed the discrimination that working-class republicans face under British occupation in the 6 counties. The video making the rounds on social media shows police officers stopping socialist republican Séamus Mac Shíomóin on the street under “counter-terrorism” legislation, claiming to look for “ammunition and wireless apparatus" after he was spotted putting up “stickers”, under the draconian Justice and Security Act. The activist then challenges the basis for the search and verbally confronts the imperialist force, who eventually leave without charges, arrests, or indeed finding anything illegal. 

“All right, so I've seen you putting up these stickers in the company of this gentleman who I have had a confidential briefing on, “ the PSNI officer said, explaining that “under the same grounds and basis that I've already provided you, we're searching you for munitions and wireless apparatus.”.

“No, you're searching me because I'm a Catholic. You're searching me because I'm a working-class Republican. You’re searching me because I’m a nationalist, “ he said, citing statistics that “you arrest Catholics, Republicans, and nationalists at twice the rate of Protestants, Unionists, and Loyalists”, to which the police officers did not respond. 

As the search went on, agitational materials were found in the backpack of the activist, including information about the PSNI’s normalisation tactics in secondary schools. “That's you in a school. So it is, with an assault rifle in St. Colm's High School in front of children, “ he said, adding that “you have the CHIS programme, which is a covert child informant programme”. “So you said when we have youth workers who can talk about drugs in the community and antisocial behaviour, yet you send [the PSNI] into our areas and in our schools around children, “ he pointed out.

“You're an illegitimate Crown force illegally occupying my country. That is what that is. I don't recognise you. I don't recognise your law. I don't recognise your force, “ the activist said, concluding that “youse aren't welcome here”. 

In a statement to Aontacht Media, Séamus said "when they pulled me and my comrade that day I knew exactly what it was. There were never going to be any munitions and they knew it. The search wasn’t about what was in the bag, it was the message, them letting me know they are surveilling me and can stop me whenever they please. So I told them straight: you’re not searching me for ammunition, you’re searching me because I’m a working-class republican, a Catholic, a nationalist, and the stop and search figures bear that out, " adding that "the intimidation is the strategy, and the only answer is to refuse to be intimidated. I’ve never felt as calm in my life. People have no reason to fear men and women who appear powerful because of body armour and a hand gun. They are and always will be nothing".

The news comes as another video has come to the surface showing the PSNI stop a socialist republican activist for putting up, not stickers, but posters this time.