THE United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets will hold a march and mural unveiling this weekend in memory of the victims of plastic and rubber bullets.
 
The march will leave Divis Tower at 12pm on 17 July before making its way to Islandbawn Street for the mural unveiling.
 
Encouraging people to come along, Jim McCabe, whose mother Norah was killed by a plastic bullet in July 1981 said: “We are having this march for the 17 victims who were murdered by plastic bullets between 1973 and 1989.
 
“There was eight children murdered during this period and these lethal bullets are still being used to this day. We are marching to call for these to be banned.”
 
Margaret McGuinness, Vice-Chair of the campaign said that those involved are taking the mantle up from their parents.
 
“Their aim was to bring the families of the bereaved and injured together to see what they could do. It was set up in 1984 by Emma Groves and Clare Reilly after the shooting of John Downes.
 
“The statistics alone tell us that the AEP which is being used today is lethal. Our group are non-political and our sole aim is to get them banned.
 
“Last year when we saw a 12 year old girl injured by a plastic bullet on the Shankill when there was rioting was frightening. She was hit on the leg and we can’t have that as these things are lethal.

“At the time my father was shot, my mummy was told that if he had been shot with an ordinary bullet he would have probably survived. The injuries that he sustained killed him.
 
“I was 13 at the time and I am now 54 and we are still campaigning to have them banned.”
 
Margaret told the Andersonstown News that the mural that had been on Islandbawn Street had deteriorated through wear and tear.
 
“We have designed a new mural and it will include a photograph of all of the victims. We will have members of our familes and friends there but we are hoping that others will come out and join us to call for these bullets to be banned.”