Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has insisted that a State commemoration for members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) who were killed during the War of Independence is not "a commemoration of the Black and Tans". Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has insisted that a State commemoration for members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) who were killed during the War of Independence is not "a commemoration of the Black and Tans". He added that it is "in no sense a commemoration of the Black and Tans or the Auxiliaries". "In no other State would those who facilitated the suppression of national freedom be commemorated by the State and I am calling on the government to cancel this proposed State commemoration." Earlier today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it is “a shame” that some politicians have decided to boycott the State commemoration.

Source: Irish Independent January 06, 2020 16:30 UTC