The families of IRA victims are deeply hurt and demanding an apology over Mayor de Blasio's 'Adams Day' tribute.
Furious at the honoring of the politician, victims have banded together to pen an open letter to the New York Mayor.
According to The Belfast Telegraph, Mayor de Blasio's renaming of St. Patrick's Day to 'Adams Day' in celebration of the former Sinn Fein leader has sparked "outrage".
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Adams received the award at a St. Patrick's Day breakfast event in New York City on March 17th.
De Blasio stated, "I, Bill de Blasio, Mayor of the City of New York, do hereby proclaim March 17, 2018 in the city of New York as 'Gerry Adams Day'."
Gerry Adams honoured by New York Mayor Bill De Blasio this morning who presented him with a Proclamation before declaring today as ‘Gerry Adams Day’ stating,
“I want to honour him for pursuit of a goal that makes so much sense – a goal for a United Ireland.” pic.twitter.com/KatHmQddcj
— Irish Unity (@IrishUnity) March 17, 2018
Six relatives of people killed by the IRA have written to the mayor's office, calling him out on his "callous disregard".
They have also demanded a public apology, a face-to-face meeting with the mayor, and for Adams' award to be withdrawn.
It’s been declared Gerry Adams Day here in New York but it doesn’t look like the Taoiseach will bestow the same honour back home pic.twitter.com/CDjK8h4xZH
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) March 17, 2018
The six people include Ann McCabe, the widow of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, who was shot dead by the IRA in Co Limerick in 1996.
Michelle Williamson, whose parents George and Gillian lost their lives in the 1993 Shankill bomb, signed the letter which expresses the group's "deep hurt, offense, and bewilderment."
David Kelly, whose father the Irish soldier Pte Patrick Kelly was killed in a kidnapping incident in 1983, and James Babington's widow Maura signed the letter.
Pam Morrison, whose brothers Ronnie, Cecil, and Jimmy Graham were killed, and Shelley Gilfillan who lost her brother Kenneth Smyth and uncle Lexie Cummings also signed the letter.
The letter reads, "We are astounded at your level of naivety and callous disregard for the tens of thousands of innocent victims/survivors of PIRA's murderous terrorist campaign which spanned over four decades."
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