Bobby Sands’ Statue Unveiled in Belfast Sparks Planning Controversy
A statue honoring IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was recently unveiled in an Irish republican memorial garden in West Belfast, marking 44 years since his death. The Belfast City Council is now investigating the installation, as it was erected without proper planning permission. Sinn Féin representatives, including First Minister Michelle O’Neill, were present at the unveiling ceremony on Sunday.
The council stated that planning approval is typically required for public artworks such as sculptures and statues intended for long-term or permanent display. A spokesperson for the council mentioned that they are currently investigating the matter since no planning application has been submitted for the statue thus far. In response, a Sinn Féin spokesman declared that the issue is the responsibility of the organizing committee behind the statue.
Bobby Sands passed away at the age of 27 during the 1981 hunger strike, a protest led by republican paramilitary prisoners seeking recognition as political prisoners during Northern Ireland’s Troubles. Despite the controversy surrounding the statue’s installation, Sinn Féin’s Vice President, Michelle O’Neill, praised it as a “powerful tribute” to Sands’ life and sacrifice, emphasizing his enduring inspiration for individuals advocating for freedom and justice worldwide.
Criticism of the statue’s unveiling came from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), with deputy leader Michelle McIlveen denouncing Bobby Sands as a member of a “brutal terrorist organization” rather than a “freedom fighter.” She argued that honoring his legacy would only reopen past wounds, highlighting the hurt caused by the first minister’s attendance at the unveiling. Meanwhile, Danny Morrison from the Bobby Sands Trust distanced the organization from the initiative, expressing confidence that the local community would hold no objections to the statue
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