Families of those killed by the IRA are planning a protest outside the Scottish Parliament this week, demanding an apology from First Minister John Swinney over his remarks about Sinn Fein. Swinney has repeatedly expressed a desire for the SNP to work more closely with the Irish republican party to 'change the dynamics of the United Kingdom'.
Last week, when questioned about Sinn Fein's historical ties with the Provisional IRA, Swinney said 'people have got to move on' from the Troubles, a conflict that claimed the lives of 140 Scottish soldiers. The comments have sparked outrage among victims' families and military veterans.
The protest, organised by the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), will see bereaved relatives and former soldiers gather outside Holyrood to 'register opposition and concern'. SEFF director Kenny Donaldson accused Swinney of grossly underestimating the hurt caused by his remarks, stating, 'To flippantly suggest that the horrors of the Troubles need to be moved on from illustrates his gross naivety.'
Alex Blair, whose brother Lance Corporal Donald Blair died in a 1979 bomb attack in Warrenpoint, described Swinney's comments as 'deeply hurtful' and demanded a public apology. He questioned, 'If one of [his children] came back in a box in bits and pieces, would he move on?'
Swinney defended his position, citing the Good Friday Agreement as an example of progress. He said, 'The world's moved on and I know my dialogue with Sinn Fein caused media consternation in Scotland, but I really do think people have got to move on.'
