{"id":109006,"date":"2021-04-06T12:42:54","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T12:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1248291"},"modified":"2021-04-06T12:42:54","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T12:42:54","slug":"easter-2021-and-its-loyalists-who-are-rising-against-british-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/04\/06\/easter-2021-and-its-loyalists-who-are-rising-against-british-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"Easter 2021 and it\u2019s loyalists who are rising against British rule"},"content":{"rendered":"

Between 24 and 30 April 1916, Irish republicans, socialists, and nationalists staged<\/a> a rebellion against British rule in Ireland. They call it the Easter Rising. It was the beginning of the end for British rule in the south of Ireland.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to Easter 2021 and it\u2019s British loyalists and unionists who are in the midst of a rising of sorts. Because for the last few days, loyalists have been battling with police in Belfast, Derry<\/a>, and other<\/a> parts<\/a> of the north of Ireland. And unionist leaders are taking<\/a> the British government to court over the Northern Ireland Protocol.<\/p>\n

While loyalists and unionists may not be rebelling against British rule as the women and men of 1916 did, their position is clear. They oppose the British government’s post-Brexit deal with the EU and they have<\/a> no confidence<\/a> in the PSNI<\/a>‘s chief constable. And what also seems clear is, just as the British government has once again abandoned<\/a> mainstream unionism, that brand of unionism has abandoned<\/a> loyalists.<\/p>\n

Let down again<\/h5>\n

It’s hardly the first time loyalists have been let down by unionism. Political commentator Joe Brolly referenced the words of David Irvine:<\/p>\n

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David Irvine, the loyalist paramilitary turned peacemaker & tireless campaigner for deprived Protestant areas, described this cycle as the DUP marching us (loyalists in impoverished areas) to the top of the hill then melting away before we reached the top. 2 of 7<\/p>\n

— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) April 3, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n