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| Gerry Adams: Sinn Féin president apologises amid racist tweet claims | Gerry Adams: Sinn Féin president apologises amid racist tweet claims |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has apologised for using the 'N-word' in a tweet comparing the plight of slaves in the United States to the treatment of Irish nationalists. | Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has apologised for using the 'N-word' in a tweet comparing the plight of slaves in the United States to the treatment of Irish nationalists. |
| The post on his Twitter account on Sunday night provoked an angry reaction on social media and was later deleted. | The post on his Twitter account on Sunday night provoked an angry reaction on social media and was later deleted. |
| Mr Adams has said his use of the word was ironic and not intended to offend but admitted it was "inappropriate". | |
| He added that attempts to suggest that he is racist are "without credibility". | He added that attempts to suggest that he is racist are "without credibility". |
| The Sinn Féin leader's initial tweet appeared to compare the experience of a character in the film Django Unchained to the treatment of nationalists in Ballymurphy in west Belfast. | The Sinn Féin leader's initial tweet appeared to compare the experience of a character in the film Django Unchained to the treatment of nationalists in Ballymurphy in west Belfast. |
| Speaking at a press conference at Connolly House in Belfast, he said: "I have acknowledged that the use of the N-word was inappropriate. That is why I deleted the tweet. | |
| "I apologise for any offence caused." | "I apologise for any offence caused." |
| Ten people were killed in Ballymurphy during a series of shootings by paratroopers in 1971. | Ten people were killed in Ballymurphy during a series of shootings by paratroopers in 1971. |
| Django Unchained is set before the American Civil War and focuses on racism, slavery, violence and murder. | Django Unchained is set before the American Civil War and focuses on racism, slavery, violence and murder. |
| Mr Adams said he is opposed to racism. | Mr Adams said he is opposed to racism. |
| "I stand over the context and main point of my tweet, which were the parallels between people in struggle," he said. | "I stand over the context and main point of my tweet, which were the parallels between people in struggle," he said. |
| "Like African Americans, Irish nationalists were denied basic rights. | "Like African Americans, Irish nationalists were denied basic rights. |
| "If anyone is genuinely offended by my use of the N-word, they misunderstand or misrepresent the context in which it was used. | "If anyone is genuinely offended by my use of the N-word, they misunderstand or misrepresent the context in which it was used. |
| "For this reason I deleted the tweets. | "For this reason I deleted the tweets. |
| "I have long been inspired by Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, who stood up for themselves and for justice." | "I have long been inspired by Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, who stood up for themselves and for justice." |
| Belfast man and former republican prisoner Tim Brannigan, who is of mixed race and who knows Mr Adams, said he was "shocked" that he had used the term. | Belfast man and former republican prisoner Tim Brannigan, who is of mixed race and who knows Mr Adams, said he was "shocked" that he had used the term. |
| "Gerry and Sinn Féin won't need me to tell them just how toxic it is and the sort of reactions it gets," he said. | "Gerry and Sinn Féin won't need me to tell them just how toxic it is and the sort of reactions it gets," he said. |
| "I don't think that you can equate what was happening in Belfast in 1965 with slavery. | "I don't think that you can equate what was happening in Belfast in 1965 with slavery. |
| "I posted about [US President Barack] Obama's speech to the White House correspondents' dinner, and his opening line was: 'There are some jokes white people can't make.' | "I posted about [US President Barack] Obama's speech to the White House correspondents' dinner, and his opening line was: 'There are some jokes white people can't make.' |
| "I think Gerry has been caught out by that." | "I think Gerry has been caught out by that." |
| Politicians from several rival parties have criticised Mr Adams' remarks on Twitter. | |
| Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Mike Nesbitt said: "I find it extraordinary that the leader of a political party can even think to utter the words that he did." | |
| He added: "To try to liken the fight against slavery to what was happening in Northern Ireland in the 1960s is contemptible." | |
| SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the tweet demonstrated "a staggering deficiency in judgment". | SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the tweet demonstrated "a staggering deficiency in judgment". |
| "Using the language of slave owners is never appropriate," he said. | "Using the language of slave owners is never appropriate," he said. |
| "If a similar remark had been made by any other political leader on this island, Sinn Féin would have unleashed an orchestrated wave of angry condemnation." | "If a similar remark had been made by any other political leader on this island, Sinn Féin would have unleashed an orchestrated wave of angry condemnation." |
| Stewart Dickson of Alliance said: "Only a few weeks ago, Sinn Féin were comparing Mr Adams in all seriousness to civil rights hero Rosa Parks. | Stewart Dickson of Alliance said: "Only a few weeks ago, Sinn Féin were comparing Mr Adams in all seriousness to civil rights hero Rosa Parks. |
| "This is proof, if it were ever needed, just how delusional that viewpoint is." | "This is proof, if it were ever needed, just how delusional that viewpoint is." |
| Jordan Armstrong from the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party said it was "insulting to dismiss the suffering of the slaves in such a flippant manner". | |
| He added: "In many countries, Adams's tweet would spell the end of a political career." |