FAMILIES of victims of the Troubles gathered outside the Northern Ireland Office headquarters in Belfast city centre to protest again the British government’s controversial Legacy Bill.

The bill went to the House of Lords on Tuesday night to be ratified but this was defeated by Lords opposed to the bill, meaning it returned to the House of Commons where it went through by 288 to 205. It's expected that the legislation which is opposed by every political party in Ireland will become law this week.

Organised by Relatives for Justice, the protest saw Martin Finucane, brother of murdered civil rights lawyer Pat Finucane, address the families gathered and called for the bill to be abolished and for the Irish government to intervene to challenge the British government in Europe.

BROTHER: Martin Finucane addresses the assembled crowd
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BROTHER: Martin Finucane addresses the assembled crowd

Tina Barrett’s brother Danny Barrett was 15 when he was shot dead by the British Army on 9 July 1981 whilst sitting on a wall in Havana Court in Ardoyne just outside his home.

Speaking to Belfastmedia.com Tina said her family continue to have special memories of Danny but the lies of British soldiers and the British government’s continued abuse of victims through the Legacy Bill is part of a continued cover-up to deny families the truth.

“I was seven when Danny was shot. He was a skinhead and into all the bands at the time like Bad Manners and loved Buster Bloodvessel. My sister was 17 at the time and was a Mod and I remember them fighting all the time about which music was better. His teacher told my daddy he was a brilliant footballer, though he smoked like a trooper and he loved girls.

“In May that year his friend from school Paul Lavelle was shot with a plastic bullet and was very sick in hospital. Danny was very worried about him as it was hard getting news from the hospital and he kept asking if Paul had died or was going to die, and it ended up that Paul was at Danny’s funeral."

FAMILIES: Tina Barrett, right, said she and other families would always show up to show the faces of their loved ones
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FAMILIES: Tina Barrett, right, said she and other families would always show up to show the faces of their loved ones

Tina added: “He was due to attend a disco that night but it was cancelled because Joe McDonnell died on hunger strike. There was a lot of friction and tension and Danny was sitting on the wall outside. I was in the hallway and all of a sudden there was shooting and mayhem. Danny went over the wall and my daddy ran over thinking he’d dived for cover but he’d been shot in the chest by the soldiers in the British Army observation post.

“When the two soldiers gave their evidence at the inquest, they said he had a gun and they saw a puff of smoke and shot back and it hit Danny. Once my father heard that, he jumped – as well as my uncle – and they beat the soldier in the court. The RUC man that day at the inquest put his hand on my daddy’s shoulder and said, 'Mr Barrett, I don’t know how you’ve listened to the lies for so long'.

Tina branded the British government's Legacy Bill "a big cover-up". When it becomes law inquests and investigations into Troubles-related crimes will halt.

"With Danny’s case we didn’t get justice but we have the proof which says Danny didn’t have a gun, there was no residue, he was as clean as the day he was born. From the day Danny was killed to the day my mother died, she grieved every day, for decades. She cried every day. She always put out a plate and buttered bread for him at dinner.

“They not only robbed Danny of his life, they also robbed us of a normal life and trying to get the truth and accountability led to the premature death of my daddy. We are lucky in that we got an inquest, most of the people here haven’t got one. We will always show up to show the faces of our loved ones.”

ABOMINABLE: Tommy Duffin (far left) described the Bill as abominable
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ABOMINABLE: Tommy Duffin (far left) described the Bill as abominable

Billy McManus, whose father William McManus was one of the victims of the Sean Graham Bookmakers Massacre on 5 February 1992, said the British government – unlike the families – had everything to fear which is why they’re trying to cover-up their actions with the Legacy Bill.

“Our case involves eight agents who were responsible for 27 murders. This Legacy Bill is absolutely disgraceful. They’re trying to cover-up all their dirty deeds. The only people who are for this bill are the ones who made us victims.

“The British government doesn’t want the truth coming out about what they really did but we won’t let that happen. We have no choice, we are all in the same boat, all we want is the truth. We have nothing to fear, after all, it wasn’t us who did anything wrong. They on the otherhand have everything to fear.”

Tommy Duffin’s father Jack Duffin was also one of those killed in the Sean Graham’s Massacre. He urged the Irish government to take legal action in Europe against the British government and said there wasn't a word that could be used to sum up the injustice of the bill.

“The bill is outrageous, all the families think this. It’s shameful to lie and cover-up and in our case alone you have them supplying the weapons and eight agents responsible for 27 murders and not one arrested or charged.

“This bill is just to protect actions like that and the people who did it. It should be scrapped and abolished. I believe the Irish government have to do something about it but they are being very slow and trailing their heels. We are further along than other cases, some of which haven’t even got off the ground. A disgrace isn’t even a strong enough word for this bill, it’s abominable and inhumane and it needs to go.”