In a statement on August 13 2024, a spokesperson for Comhairle Uladh (Ulster Executive), Sinn Féin Poblachtach, said there is a lot of negative sentiments shared by those who represent the political establishment.

“The news headlines have focused on a number of young Derry lads staging resistance aimed at RUC/PSNI lines.

“Condemnations are just sound bites that engulfs the air waves, therefore maintaining voter manipulation. Over the last few days unhelpful comments have brought us back to hallow threats. When the former RUC/PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne, said that ‘children of paramilitaries could be taken into care’.

“These out spoken British apologists are putting the boot into parents and vilifying them as bad people. Their political narrative is just ‘stab in the dark’ and assume every child attacking RUC/PSNI lines belongs to a dissident republican.

“There has always been an historic – youthful resistance within the occupied six counties. It’s not 55 years ago Derry boy Paddy Coyle who was then just 13 yrs old was snapped in a single photo during the street riots in 1969.

“What has changed for the youth of Derry? Frankly, nothing has changed.” The youth of Derry have seen little to no change in their circumstances. It was that city in which deprivation and inequality in previous decades lit the fuse that began Britains occupation of the six counties.

“The political establishment is very loud and arrogant. It is these people that think they know better, when in fact they have the mentality of teenagers and the maturity of children.

“Sinn Féin Poblachtach has stated, the public record has shown that these political elites have failed the working class people in the occupied six counties. Ever since the resurrection of Stormont executive on February 3, 2024 (for the seventh time) agreement in many policy areas have not been forthcoming.

Ranganna:[RSF News] Statements