Atypical is a disabled-led arts organisation and gallery. Leo Boyd (ig) decorated the construction hoarding in front of the offices in Royal Avenue, Belfast (along with another in Bryan Street, Ballymena) (VA News Sheet).
Here are selection of pandemic-related images, many expressing support for the NHS, from Belfast, that were not the subject of individual posts. The first and last of these are from CNR west Belfast (“God bless our NHS” is outside St Paul’s in Cavendish St and the tarp below Charlie Hughes is from the RNU) while the hand-made sheet is in PUL west Belfast (Denmark St) – an indication of the cross-community support for health-care and other “key” workers. The graffiti (“Coronavirus kings”) is on the Dublin Road.
“The face of community policing?? Not in our name. Reject all forms of British political policing in Ireland.” The 32 County Sovereignty Movement lost its Facebook page this month, but its poster campaign against harassment and imprisonment of members continues.
Kashmir has remained a disputed territory since the partition of India in 1947. It remains under Indian administration, despite different groups rebelling since 1987, some seeking union with Pakistan and others an independent Kashmir. Indian forces have been accused of human rights abuses against Kashmiris.
Lasaır Dhearg (Fb | tw | web) next week (Thursday 30th) will have three speakers on the theme of Political Policing & Oppressive Legislation, starting at 7 in Conway Mill. The sticker above (with Red Section) is on Divis Street, west Belfast. “RUC – PSNI: Different name, same aim”.
Below are two more stickers, the first quoting Patrick Pearse: “Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam”, the second with a call to “End imperialism in Ireland”. The final sticker is from Lasair Dhearg only (not Red Section): Britain Out Of Ireland with Prince Charles in his paratrooper beret.
“Vote Dodds [Nigel Dodds of the DUP] – Vote Mr. Potato Head – Spud U dislike”. Poster on the Antrim Road from the recent electoral campaign. Dodds lost his Belfast North seat to Sınn Féın’s John Finucane. Jacket potato restaurant Spudulike closed all of its stores in August 2019 (Guardian) but opened again under new ownership in eight locations in October (iNews).
“Vote Dumbest Ulster Prods – Red Sky, RHI, Brexit & IRIS.” Red Sky was a maintenance company that, due to complaints from residents about shoddy work, caused a dispute between the DUP and the NIHE (WP). The RHI [Renewable Heat Initiative] was a scheme, overseen by the DUP’s Arlene Foster, to encourage the burning of eco-friendly pellets but in fact allowed users to make a profit outright (WP). Iris Robinson, DUP member representing Strangford at both Westminster and Stormont, sat on the committee that awarded her 19 year-old lover the franchise over a Castlereagh Borough restaurant and secured a 50,000 pound loan for him of which she then received 5,000 pounds (WP). The poster above (ironically) encourages a vote for the DUP in the December 2019 Westminster election; the DUP lost seats in Belfast North and Belfast South, and failed to capture North Down upon the retirement of independent unionist Sylvia Hermon.
“Ireland’s Brexit solution: a united Ireland, a workers republic, a socialist Europe. Spoil your ballot – write Workers Republic! www.socialistdemocracy.org” Although it’s not clear from the poster above, the desired position is for a federal (“United States of”) Europe rather than EU membership in its current form.
The lower placard comes from left-wing party People Before Profit (web), attacking Sınn Féın for their vote on welfare reform (in 2015 when the Assembly was still functioning – BBC | Guardian). The upper placard has no fine print asserting its provenance, and PBP has alleged that such placards were put up by Sınn Féın (Irish News). “People Before Profit . .. still supports Brexit”.