SINN FÉIN PRESIDENT Mary Lou McDonald has hit out at those who carried out attacks on the homes of prominent Sinn Fein figures, Gerry Adams and Bobby Storey, saying they have no right to call themselves republicans.
Speaking at a rally in west Belfast this evening, McDonald laid the blame for the attacks at the feet of dissident republicans.
“Unlike the cowards who attacked their family homes, Gerry and Bobby are genuine Republicans and have stood firm against those who would attempt to drag us back to the failures of the past,” McDonald said.
And let me be absolutely clear here today, the people who launched these attacks are enemies of our community. They are enemies of peace. They are against their own people and against their own community.
The homes of Adams and, former Sinn Fein Northern chairman, Storey were attacked on Friday night. No one was injured in the incidents but pictures from Adams’ home shows damage to a car in the driveway.
Adams said that his grandchildren had been playing in the driveway shortly before the attack.
McDonald repeated Adams’ challenge to those behind the attacks to meet him face-to-face to explain their motivation.
The Dublin Central TD also called for an end to the violence that has flared in Northern Ireland in recent weeks.
The sectarian attacks that we have seen in recent days were disgraceful. Those involved have no right to claim to be Irish republicans because, in their sectarianism and their anti-social activities they are the very opposite of republicanism.
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