Maginness: Our canvass teams will not be intimidated

Thursday 28 May 2009

SDLP Euro election candidate Alban Maginness was in Lurgan this evening along with party leader Mark Durkan to join Dolores Kelly's team as it resumed the canvass of the Kilwilkie estate.

SDLP Euro election candidate Alban Maginness was in Lurgan this evening along with party leader Mark Durkan to join Dolores Kelly's team as it resumed the canvass of the Kilwilkie estate.

On Tuesday evening Mrs Kelly was confronted by a masked man carrying what may have been an airgun who told her to leave the estate within five minutes or she would be shot. Other canvassers were also told to leave by youths in balaclavas.

Alban Maginness said: "The SDLP has had to face intimidation ever since it was founded. We have never given in to the gunmen and we won't give in now. The people of Kilwilkie have the same right to have their voices heard as everyone else in the north and we intend to give them the opportunity to be heard in this election. We will put our message in front of them so they can make their minds up next week without anyone telling them what to think or who can walk their streets or knock on their doors."

Dolores Kelly said: "The canvass was going well in Kilwilkie, and we were getting plenty of support and promises to come out for Alban next week. People were really interested in what we had to say. That was probably what upset the people in the balaclavas, because their lack of support was being shown up. But I don' think the good people of Kilwilkie are going let such a small group take us backwards or run their community for them."

ENDS