President McAleese Heckled as she visits Primary in Coleraine

[Surreal Steve]

Protest at McAleese school visit
Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese is to visit Millburn Primary School on Tuesday

A crowd of about 30 people have protested at Millburn Primary School in Coleraine over the visit of Irish President Mary McAleese.

They waved banners and shouted slogans, including 'No surrender', as she and her husband Martin arrived by car.

Earlier on Tuesday, the school's principal said he had been intimidated over the visit.

John Platt said some people were angry at comments made in 2005 when Mrs McAleese compared Nazi hatred with NI.

Mr Platt said intimidation had happened both inside and outside school.

"In school, they've advised me that they don't want this visit to take place," said Mr Platt.

"They have taped conversations unofficially inside the building, they have handed over materials outside and they have a selection of flags up around the school.

"There's been quite a to-ing and fro-ing of quite strong language about what should and shouldn't happen."

In 2005, the Irish president said children were taught to hate Catholics in the same way Nazis despised Jews.

She later apologised for the comment. She said she was devastated by the reaction which her remarks generated and acknowledged she had been "clumsy".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/7445566.stm

[T Fearon]

Would that be the same John Platt who was a Cliftonville icon back in the 70s and scored in their Irish Cup Final win over Portadown in 1979 and is a brother of Pat Jennings deputy and former Middlesbro goalkeeper, Jim Platt, who himself was not averse to sectarian behaviour?

[his holiness nb]

As long as people like this still exist, we are a long way from peace on this island.

FFS it was a clumsy comment, get over it 

[T Fearon]

It was also a very true comment and fair play to her for making it, unlike freestate toadies like Bertie Ahern who treat Paisley etc as if he was some sort of Nelson Mandela figure.

[Main Street]

It would have been hard to prove that hate was on the syllabus  

Looks like it is a natural organic hate, easily provoked.

'President McAleese went ahead with her planned visit to Millburn Primary School despite the presence of up to 40 loyalist protestors.
They shouted abuse at President McAleese and held banners protesting at her visit.
School Principal John Platt is stressing that the protesters are not representative of the community'.




http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0610/breaking67.htm

John Moffat, a protester and member of the local residents' association, said the community was showing its distaste at the president's presence.

"The school asked us for our opinions and we said we didn't want to hear," he said.

"This is not only a protest about the president's visit, but also at the way the school has handled things. There was the Nazi comments and it has been claimed that the Queen wouldn't be able to visit the Irish Republic until policing and justice powers are devolved to Stormont, yet she can come up here without any pre-conditions."

Headmaster John Platt said the protesters represented a very small minority. He claimed the vast majority of people supported the president's visit.
"There are probably about 40 or 50 people out there today and I was told there would be thousands," he said.

[useername]

i am from that area and would justl ike to say that milburn primary school is situated in a bad area, even playing them in primary school soccer we used to get sectarian abuse,

its a shame and its clear that the parents are the main culprits

[Tankie]

well from the picture above it does appear that they do raise their children to hate! very sad!!

[his holiness nb]

well from the picture above it does appear that they do raise their children to hate! very sad!!

100% correct.

[hitzelsperger]

share of fcukin cnuts, they have nothing better to do on a tuesday than stand outside their kids primary showing a good example,every one of them a waste of space!

[Surreal Steve]

Tbf I would love to ruin that blondes arse

[Tankie]

Tbf I would love to ruin that blondes arse

I was trying to work out her age before saying anything

[Surreal Steve]

Meh, age is irrelevant

only joking

[Shamrock Shore]

WE ARE NOT NAZI'S

why can't he finish the sentence.

Nazi's what?

or is grammar off the agenda in schools nowadays?

[Bogball XV]

WE ARE NOT NAZI'S

why can't he finish the sentence.

Nazi's what?

or is grammar off the agenda in schools nowadays?

lovers?

[magickingdom]

who gives a fcuk what they think, at this stage their such a tiny minority its pity they deserve..