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NI fuel protesters 'stand in solidarity' with Irish counterparts

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CitrixNews Staff
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NI fuel protesters 'stand in solidarity' with Irish counterparts
NI fuel protesters 'stand in solidarity' with Irish counterparts6 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDarran MarshallBBC News NIBBC A milk tanker is seen on a road at the front of a convoy of vehicles who took part in a protest in Strabane on Saturday afternoon in protest at the rising cost of fuelBBCThe convoy left an industrial estate just outside the town at 15:30 BST on Saturday and headed towards the town

Dozens of vehicles have taken part in a slow moving convoy in protest at rising fuel costs in Northern Ireland.

Organisers say they are standing in solidarity with those who are protesting in the Republic of Ireland where hundreds of petrol stations are without fuel due to five days of protests.

A convoy of vans, lorries, tractors, and even a limousine, are taking part in a 'go-slow' around the town centre before crossing the border into Lifford, County Donegal.

One vehicle recovery owner told BBC News NI that his fuel bill increased by more than £5,000 in the past month and he would be taking his lorries off the road from today.

A bald man wearing glasses and a black long sleeve jacket with grey padding and a logo on the chest area stands in front of a recovery vehicleMichael McLaughlin says ordinary people are "getting hammered, left, right and centre" over rising fuel bills and the cost of living

"There's real anger across the whole island of Ireland about rising prices, not only with fuel but the cost of living and the cost of a bag of messages out of the supermarkets," said Michael McLaughlin, one of the protest organisers.

"All other sectors of the economy - manufacturing, construction, hospitality, healthcare, distribution, you name it, all the workers throughout the pandemic kept the lights on.

"All the people who went out, day after day, working to keep the country going - they're the workers who are getting hammered left right and centre every time they go out the front door, go to a fuel pump, go down to the supermarket for a bag of groceries and messages - something has to give."

He said those who had gathered in Strabane had done so to "articulate that anger in the best way we can" and to send a clear message to the "political class that enough is enough".

"We can't go on like this and we hope that they are listening to our message," he added.

A bald man with a beard and wearing glasses and a grey sweatshirt stands on a road with a number of lorries in the background. Paddy McLaughlin said his fuel bill has increased by more than £5,000 in the past month

Paddy McLaughlin who owns a limousine and a vehicle recovery company.

He told BBC News NI that his fuel bill increased by more than £5,000 in the past month and he would be taking his lorries off the road from today.

"We working for nothing at the minute and we can't sustain that," he said.

"The only thing he said his company could sustain was emergencies."

He said his company would need an "extra 25-30% on they money they are paid to get his lorries back on the road".

"That's what we're losing out, that's our profit, the government's not losing out, they're still making their money."

A number of lorries are seen parking on the side of the road in the middle and far ground and closer in the foreground, the side of a Police Service of Northern Ireland jeep can be seenThere was a very low key police presence at the protest

The convoy left an industrial estate just outside the town at 15:30 BST and headed towards the town.

It crossed the Lifford bridge into County Donegal before returning to Strabane.

Many of those attending had signs calling for cuts to fuel bills.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it was assessing social media posts calling for planned protests and had prepared a response to minimise disruption and ensure public safety.

The Department for Infrastructure advised people to allow extra time for their journeys should protests go ahead.

Fuel tankers regain access to Irish oil refinery

Irish government finalising fuel package deal

StrabaneNorthern IrelandCost of Living Fuel

Originally reported by BBC News