At 4.30am on February 17, 2024, ex-POW Gabriel Mackle and his wife Joanne from Co Armagh travelling towards Newry, to collect one of their sons who had been out celebrating, were intercepted by an RUC/PSNI police car.

The RUC said that “their car had been red-flagged as there was a warrant out on Gabriel”. They removed the keys from the car and left them standing at the side of the road. They refused to give any information as to what the warrant was for and arrested Gabriel. They had a completely unprofessional and sarcastic attitude and in minutes the Tactical Support Group (TSG) were on the scene.

Gabriel was taken to Banbridge and held there until 12.30pm later that day. He was questioned and charged for something for which they had no evidence, they bypassed sending the papers to the PPS as is the usual procedure, and just set a court date.

This is just another episode in a long litany of harassment and intimidation of the Mackle family, it is continuous and relentless. Gabriel was released from Maghaberry Jail, Co Antrim in 2017 and ten weeks later was hauled back to prison following a raid on his home. Another example is that in August of 2023 their house was raided and their son was arrested on a trumped-up charge. Their young daughter has been left at the side of the road while the RUC/PSNI searched the car. The list goes on and on.

So much for the “new” police force. There are many other examples of RUC/PSNI harassment of Republicans in the Six Occupied Counties. Sadly, these are supported by people who call themselves Republicans and who now rule in the partitionist parliament in Stormont.

CRÍOCH

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