Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! joined London Supporters of Tony Taylor in a picket of Theresa Villiers MP surgery on Saturday 2 July. As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Villiers is responsible for the revoking of Tony Taylor’s license from an earlier conviction.
Taylor, a Republican activist from Derry was seized while out shopping with his family and sent to Maghaberry Prison without questioning, charge or trial, having been denied legal representation. Following his release from Maghaberry in 2014, Tony Taylor was active in community and prison welfare issues and involved in rebuilding the Republican Network for Unity party in the Derry area.
His internment is clearly an abuse of power by the British state and an affront to human rights. Theresa Villiers refused to accept a letter from the picket on the grounds that she was not there as Secretary of State. This is not good enough and is clearly a piece of the political dodging and weaving we have been exposed to in recent months.
The Campaign for Tony Taylor will return. The use of internment as a weapon against the people must end.
