June 2001
A planned appearance by the regimental band of the Scots Guards at an Irish festival in Italy has been cancelled after intervention by supporters of the family of murdered Belfast teenager Peter McBride.
The band was originally booked to play on June 18 in the town of Siena, near Florence. However, campaign supporters in Italy spotted the band’s name among the list of traditional Irish bands that were due to appear and contacted the Derry-based Pat Finucane Centre (PFC).
The PFC alerted Jean McBride, Peter’s mother, and then contacted the festival organisers. A letter from Jean Mc Bride was sent to the Italian organisers asking that the invitation to the Scots Guards be cancelled.
The owners replied immediately, saying that they had been unaware of the controversy surrounding the regiment and promising to cancel the event. They said:
"Our intention here was to invite the Scots Guards band to play some traditional music as part of our celebrations for this Irish week. We were unaware of any problems or controversies relating to the Scots Guards. In light of this information, we have decided to cancel the involvement of the Scots Guards in our festivities.
"We would also like to let the mother of Peter McBride know that all feel close to her sorrow as part of the Irish community abroad."
After hearing of the reply, Jean McBride said she "would like to tell the people of Siena that they have made my day. The regimental band of the Scots Guards boasted of having composed a special pipers tune called ‘Freedom’ calling for the release from jail of Fisher and Wright. This is one pipers lament the good people of Siena will be spared at their festival."
A spokesperson for the PFC, which has supported the campaign to have the two Scots Guards who were convicted of Peter’s murder removed from the army said:
"We have proved through numerous international events that people world-wide are disgusted at the decision to allow convicted murderers to remain in the British Army. People from as far apart as Canada, Japan, Australia and Germany have already come out in support of Jean and her family, and now so too have the people of Siena.
"We fully intend to keep this campaign going until the decision is reversed, and will never miss an opportunity like this to prove how widespread opposition is. We are delighted that this event has been cancelled. It was in fact the only scheduled appearance in Italy. The ‘regimental family’ of the Scots Guards played a key role in the racially motivated campaign to bring about the release of two convicted murderers. We would again urge supporters worldwide to contact us if the Scots Guards are invited to play at events in their area."
Jean Mc Bride’s judical review of the MoD decision to retain the two guardsmen will finish at a hearing on June 25 at Belfast High Court. No decision is expected until late summer.