Republicans 'painting post boxes green'

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 12 Sep 2008, 14:36

http://fenian32.livejournal.com/4076150.html

YOUNG republicans from west of the Bann have been posting photographs of themselves on the internet painting post boxes green.

It is understood that hundreds of Royal Mail boxes in Londonderry, Strabane and Tyrone have been changing colour as part of a fresh strategy to finally bring about some degree of cultural Irish unity.

The campaign has especially high visibility on many home pages of young people on the social networking website Bebo.

But one News Letter reader said the campaign was meeting with definite resistance.

"A post box in Pomeroy was painted green but unfortunately for the 'painters' it was restored to its original colour within a day," he said.

"The owner of the Protestant house which it was situated beside would not tolerate such an attack on his community."

Asked if it was part of a campaign to divert young republicans from dissident activity, Sinn Fein MLA Barry McElduff said: "Young people need to be encouraged when they make political statements in a peaceful and political manner.

"As many as 50 post boxes have been painted in Tyrone in the past month.

"It is ironic that in Lifford post boxes are green but in Tyrone, only one mile away, they are red.

"This is about blurring the border."

Asked if the campaign was actually encouraging criminal damage, he said: "Who knows? They look like neat, professional jobs to me."

But West Tyrone DUP MLA Tom Buchanan condemned the trend.

"No amount of green post boxes will hide the fact that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and will remain so," he said.

"The pathetic use of vandalism and graffiti is now all that Sinn Fein has left to attempt to fool some republicans that a united Ireland is coming."

Traditional Unionist Voice vice-chairman Keith Harbinson called for a security clampdown.

"Do the police plan to take action against these vandals?" he asked.

"Will Sinn Fein assist the police in their investigation and hand over the perpetrators – or will we again see criminal activity by republicans shielded by the so-called republican code?

"Perhaps of the greatest concern, however, is how Sinn Fein can have any kind of role within the devolution of policing and justice when very public displays of law-breaking are encouraged."

A Royal Mail spokesman declined to comment on the scale or cost of the problem.

"Repairs to letter boxes, which include repainting, will be carried out as part of our ongoing maintenance programme," he added.

F0zziebear · Post by **F0zziebear** » 12 Sep 2008, 15:19

For those that are colour blind and protestant it could be a blessing in disguise!

Barry Trotter · Post by **Barry Trotter** » 12 Sep 2008, 16:42

tubes,each and every one. Royal Mail should just remove the boxes painted green altogether and let them use the irish postal service if they are that keen on being 'part of Ireland'. Of course 'being part of Ireland' would also mean no giro,no NHS and VAT sitting at 37% for goods bought,instead of 17.5%. They're keen but not that keen those young republicans.

NWpostie · Post by **NWpostie** » 12 Sep 2008, 22:09

I have been to Ireland it was interesting to see postboxes in Galway, Cork Dublin etc made before independence with the Royal Chipher such as VIR GVR etc all painted Green while the later ones had "An Post" on it. since Northrn Ireland is politically part of the UK so is the Postal Adminstration, the box must be in RED to identify which service it is going to used, the Tourists will only get confused by this silly antics.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 12 Sep 2008, 22:59

Couldn't give a flying fish fart ,purple ,day glow pink not really going to make any real odds to my day.

Post by **baldrick** » 13 Sep 2008, 07:35

Maybe they'll get orange TNT posting boxes soon.

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 13 Sep 2008, 13:17

baldrick wrote:Maybe they'll get orange TNT posting boxes soon.

I forgot TNT used orange

NWpostie · Post by **NWpostie** » 13 Sep 2008, 13:31

disgruntledpostie1 wrote:
baldrick wrote:Maybe they'll get orange TNT posting boxes soon.

I forgot TNT used orange

That will go down a storm in Falls Road

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Sep 2008, 14:10

NWpostie wrote:
disgruntledpostie1 wrote:
baldrick wrote:Maybe they'll get orange TNT posting boxes soon.

I forgot TNT used orange
That will go down a storm in Falls Road

When TNT buy RM out, will the guys painting the boxes have to have Special Branch protection

norbert · Post by **norbert** » 13 Sep 2008, 16:35

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
NWpostie wrote:
disgruntledpostie1 wrote:
baldrick wrote:Maybe they'll get orange TNT posting boxes soon.

I forgot TNT used orange
That will go down a storm in Falls Road
When TNT buy RM out, will the guys painting the boxes have to have Special Branch protection

Anyway Man U lost today - that's happy ?

lot of p***ed off people on the ferry from Holyhead , on Ryan Air and in London too

norbert · Post by **norbert** » 13 Sep 2008, 16:36

Barry Trotter wrote:tubes,each and every one. Royal Mail should just remove the boxes painted green altogether and let them use the irish postal service if they are that keen on being 'part of Ireland'. Of course 'being part of Ireland' would also mean no giro,no NHS and VAT sitting at 37% for goods bought,instead of 17.5%. They're keen but not that keen those young republicans.