Hundreds attend rally in Omagh
Hundreds attended a rally in Omagh on Saturday 25th February in support of off-duty police officer, Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell to send out the message that there will be no return to the violence of the past.
The Rev. Eleanor Hayden, Superintendent of the Omagh Circuit attended the rally and this is her reflection on the event:
‘No Going Back to the past’
With heavy minds and troubled hearts, the Community of Omagh stood united in an outpouring of solidarity. The inexpressible sense of bewilderment at the senseless return to ‘terrorist violence’ was seen visibibly, as the community gathered and focused their entire connection to each other, held by the deep reaction to the attempted murder of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell.
A clear message of compassion and reflective silence spoke volumes in terms of the heartfelt empathy directed toward the Caldwell family, expressed by each speaker. Indeed, ‘this is a terrorist attack on every family and the core values of family life,’ stated one Union Representative.
For many people, painful memories have been reawakened and old wounds reopened as this traumatic event shakes the foundation of our community. Belonging together in the shared story; gathering in the common protest and rejecting the evil nature of such terrorist activity that has no place in our future. The clear message, ‘We’re not going back to the past’ echoed across the large amount of people and an absolute determination to abandon the instruments of violence for a continued future of peace and trust.
Following a minutes silence, the concluding thoughts focused on DCI Caldwell’s family and all young people affected by the traumatic events this week in the Omagh Community.
