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Hundreds of people have attended a rally in west Belfast to demonstrate support for Gerry Adams and his Sinn F\u00e9in colleague Bobby Storey after their homes were attacked by dissident republicans.<\/p>\nHundreds of people have attended a rally in west Belfast to demonstrate support for Gerry Adams and his Sinn F\u00e9in colleague Bobby Storey after their homes were attacked by dissident republicans.<\/p>\n
The two veteran republicans were hugged and clapped by friends and supporters as they attended the Sinn F\u00e9in organized event this evening.<\/p>\n
Crowds gathered at the site of the former Andersonstown Road barracks to show solidarity with the men, cheering loudly when they addressed the crowds and queuing to have selfies taken with them afterwards.<\/p>\n
Mr Adams said he was thankful no one had been hurt in Friday night\u2019s attacks, which saw explosive devices hurled at his and Mr Storey\u2019s homes.<\/p>\n
The former party president delivered a stark message to the dissidents as he addressed the crowds.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are either for peace or you are against peace,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if you feel there is justification in bombing our house or bombing Theresa and Bobby\u2019s house or the other incidents that have taken place then step up and explain yourself, justify your actions, stand over what you have done and explain the rationale behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Storey told the rally he was \u201coverwhelmed\u201d by the turn out.<\/p>\n
He said the dissidents would not deflect Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s strategy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese people need to go back to wherever they come from,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see this despair and frustration that they are taking out in their lack of strategy with everyone else, they need to understand from us \u2013 we have been at this a very long time, we are on a particular journey, republicanism is developing across the island, we are on a road to a new and modern and united Ireland and nothing will deflect us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t been deflected before and they need to get that message.\u201d<\/p>\n
The men were joined on the podium by Sinn F\u00e9in president Mary Lou McDonald and vice president Michelle O\u2019Neill.<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald branded the dissidents \u201cenemies of the people\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike the cowards who attacked their family homes, Gerry and Bobby are true and fine republicans and they we will stand firm against anyone who attempts to drag us backwards, against anyone who attempts to stop our march to a new united Ireland,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people who launched these attack are enemies of the people, they are enemies of the peace, they are enemies who are working against the interests of their own community.\u201d<\/p>\n
She highlighted that dissident posters had recently been erected saying \u201cGerry we\u2019re not going anywhere\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell you got that in one,\u201d she added. \u201cYou certainly aren\u2019t going anywhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo listen up to those who aren\u2019t going anywhere, because we aren\u2019t going away.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stakes are high and the journey is clear and the people of Belfast and Derry and beyond deserve better than mindless thuggery, deserve better than mindless hypocrisy and lack of courage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people of Belfast and Derry and beyond deserve decisive, forward-looking republican leadership and that is what they have in Sinn F\u00e9in, in Bobby Storey and in Gerry Adams.\u201d<\/p>\n