Parents in Crossmaglen protest about a British Army checkpoint located next to the local primary school.
Pupils at St Patrick's primary school in Crossmaglen County Armagh have been taken home early by their parents.
The parents are protesting over the presence of a permanent British Army checkpoint situated within sight of the school. This is one of a number of checkpoints recently installed on all approach roads to Crossmaglen.
The army checkpoint had initially been put closer to the school, but following a request from the parents it was moved further down the road two days ago.
Approximately one hundred parents met in the village this morning and walked to the school at Carron Road. Having expressed their concerns to school principal John Daly, they brought their children home. One mother says that keeping her children at home is preferable to dangers they may be exposed to at school,
Parents say they will return the children to school when the army post has been moved a reasonable distance away. The army say that any future move is dependent on operational situation on the ground.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 18 June in 1980.
