Tony Canavan, one of the two People's Demo cracy comrades on hunger strike in Crumlin Road Jail, Belfast, collapsed on Monday during a visit from his mother.
Doctors are being called in and it is probable that by the time Red Weekly appears both Tony and Mike Farrell will have been bospitalised. They are determined to continue their hunger strike until their demand for political status is granted, On Thursday, 19 July, the case was raised in the House of Commons by Stan Orme, Jock Stallard and Bernadette McAliskey, Whitelaw's reply was direct and unyielding - they were not entitled to political status because they did not Whitelaw therefore ignores the real basis of the their case - that their offence was purely poli. lical, that the sentences were unposed by a that they would not get poltical status, and that to keep them in "D' Wing of Crumlin Road Jail implies either a constant threat from loyalist criminal prisoners, or virtual solitary confinement.
As if to underline the determination of the Northern Irish Courta and the British Govern ment to continue to victimise and discriminate against anti-imperialist fighters, two loyalists convicted of the most revolting single crime during the recent spate of sectarian murders have been given political status. -They raped a catholic wontan in front of her mentally retarded son, and then shot bot of thent. In contrast Farrell and Canavan were found guilty of a breach of the peace for organising a denionjoined hy his wife, until last Friday when ail charges were dropped against him. He then relurned to England, speaking on Sunday at a puhlie meeting against extradition for political offencs, oreanised by Chnn na h Bireann in Kilburn.
On Tueslay he was again arrested as he met his wile aff the boat from Ireland. Appearing in court in the theft chares, he was required to raise haitor 51.500 inchiding two independent sureties hy 2,00 p.m., which he was unable to do since polio objected to one of his sureties. British Army to stop these murders. So they must continue to waste away on hunger strike, or capitulate and face a monstrously unjust prison sentence, while these sectarian murderers enjoy precisely the privileges denied to Farrell and Cunavan FARRELL and TONY CANAVAN It is clear from this latest action that the Special Branch are determined to pursue this protracted harassment, which has already cost Jerry Harte his job as well as causing his wife and baby a great deal of upset. The Prisoners Aid Committee has already taken up his case again, calling in a statement for an end to this intimidation thinly disguised as a judicial procedure, and. for the release of Jerry Harte from police custody and victimisation At the tine of writing he is once more in custody in the Bridewell jail in LiverpooL Red Weekly 27 July 1973 Page 3
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DEMONSTRATE! to demánd political status for MICHAÉL
Speakers Corner 2.30 Sunday 29 July