Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

The events in Dublin last Saturday were an absolute disgrace. Those who took part misused the name of Irish republicanism and nationalism, but they were anything but Irish republicans or nationalists in the real sense. They were a tiny and unrepresentative minority, a mixture of people on the fringes of micro-political groups, football hooligans and drink-fuelled opportunists, a ragbag who saw the chance to create havoc and took it.

Sinn Féin has been consistent on this issue since Willie Frazer and his so-called Love Ulster and FAIR groups first emerged. While we profoundly disagree with Mr. Frazer, we chose not to oppose his group's march down O'Connell Street, notwithstanding the fact that we believe it was deliberately provocative and insensitively organised. It is the right of all citizens of this island to march down the capital's main thoroughfare, no matter what part of that island they live on. We also believe in people's right to hold peaceful counter-demonstrations. However, both those rights come with responsibilities. Marchers must not engage in sectarian or abusive behaviour, and counter-demonstrators must refrain from physically engaging with them. Proper stewarding by those participating in demonstrations and by the Garda is crucial in that respect, and neither was in evidence last Saturday.

Sinn Féin made clear that we wanted people to try to ignore that march. We instructed our membership not to go anywhere near it. Martin McGuinness made that very point at the Dublin Sinn Féin annual general meeting only two weeks ago. Deputy Ó Caoláin gave the Sinn Féin position on a recent episode of "Questions and Answers". I made several statements before the march, up to the point of calling on people to desist while the rioting was in progress. Saturday's thuggery also served to obscure debate on the real nature of Mr. Frazer's group. Those who engaged in the violence and destruction gave them exactly what they wanted, playing into Mr. Frazer's hands and allowing him to claim moral high ground to which he is not entitled. He has gloried in the actions of loyalist death squads and today is trying to blame the President for Saturday's trouble.

I would like to use this opportunity to defend the role of Dublin City Council which bears no responsibility for the riot. Its workers acted quickly to make the streets safe and rubble free again. It is important to point out that Saturday's riots have no implications for the peace process. We are determined to see progress made in the coming weeks and months. For Sinn Féin, that includes reaching out to the Unionist community. Unlike those who misused our national flag last weekend, I take the tricolour's message very seriously: unity, peace and equality between orange and green.

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