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2019 Ivor Bell Cleared Of All Charges Related Robinson Warns Climate Activists

23rd, To 1972 Murder Not To Alienate Public

October veteran republican directed the jury to return a before you to support the
Judge Mr Justice O’Hara
case it was putting against Mr
has been cleared of
| Asoliciting the mur- verdict of not guilty having Bell,” he said.
earlier ruled that taped inter-
“My role now is to direct
der of a mother of 10 in
EXAMINER 1972, after a trial which views, which were the cen- you to return a verdict of not
tral plank of the prosecution
guilty because you simply
heard a claim that Gerry
cannot find him to have done
case, were inadmissible.
Adams recommended her
“As a result of some legal
IRISH secret burial. rulings which have been the acts alleged.” also lifted
The former Sinn Féin pres-
judge
The
made over the last two days
ident rejected the allegation
restrictions that had prevent-
as he appeared as a witness at there is now no evidence that ed reporting of the two-week
a trial of the facts into two the prosecution can put trial of the facts. C
charges against Ivor Bell.
Five of Jean McConville’s
surviving children were at Former president Mary Robinson has warned Extinction
Belfast Crown Court on Rebellion protesters that they risk alienating the public if
Thursday as a jury of four they do not employ smart tactics.
women and eight men found The UN Special Envoy on El Nino and Climate said dis-
Mr Bell not guilty of encour- ruption was necessary to affect change, but that it could take
aging her murder. many forms.
Mr Bell, 82, of Ramoan She also praised the work of Greta Thunberg, saying her
Gardens in Belfast, was not address at the UN’s Climate Action Summit last month
present for the trial of the brought her to tears.
facts which came after he Dr Robinson said: “I think what Greta and her generation
was found medically unfit to are doing is humanizing the issue of climate change in a very
stand trial in December last vivid way.
year. He was excused from “Because what they’re saying – which is correct – is that
attending due to his health. we, the adults in the world, are not guaranteeing them a safe
future; a livable future.
“I was in the UN General Assembly during the Climate
Action Summit, and when I heard her say ‘you have stolen
my childhood’ – a 16-year-old – I cried, actually.
“I thought, this is not fair.”
Speaking to the PA news agency at the Aurora Forum in
Yerevan, Armenia, Dr Robinson said climate change protests
were one way of causing disruption, but that the most effec-
tive method was through investors, asset managers, and pen-
sion funds.
She added: “I see no significant move on the part of the
emitters to change.
“So I now feel it’s time for disruption – and disruption
takes many forms.
“Disruption can be litigation, disruption can be sharehold-
er questions at meetings, disruption of a very effective
thought can be when investors are warning about being
invested in stranded assets.
“And disruption can be bottom up – the schoolchildren,
the young people, the Extinction Rebellion, the women lead-
ers.
“But the most effective is the investors. If they can really
move that needle, it can move very fast.”
Asked about Extinction Rebellion protests in London last
week which saw public transport targeted, Mrs Robinson
said the activists need to keep people on side.
She explained: “I hope they will be very smart about their
tactics, because if they alienate the public that will put us a
step backwards.
“So far, on the whole, they have been quite clever they’ve
been funny.
“They’ve been apologetic for the disruption caused
because they don’t want to alienate the public. But then
there are some who want to go further.
“I think it is very, very important that the public display of
disruption is seen by the public as being in their interests, and
that has happened.
“But if they lose that, that would be very serious.”
Dr Robinson was appointed to oversee UN efforts to tack-
le climate change in 2014. C