Friends of murdered Lyra McKee put red hands on Saoradh offices in Derry on Easter Monday. Watching on is convicted terrorist Thomas Ashe Mellon (bearded)
It was reported on Sunday that Saoradh had been giving 28 days to leave Junior McDaid House in Chamberlain Street on the edge of the Bogside.
Saoradh, which was founded in September 2016, has now vacated the premises in the wake of the huge public outcry over the New IRA murder of the 29-year-old journalist on Thursday, April 18, in Creggan.
During rioting around Fanad Drive, a lone, masked gunman appeared in the shadows and opened fire on an armoured PSNI Landrover.
Lyra, who had recently moved to Derry to be with her partner Sara Canning, was struck once in the head with a bullet fired from a handgun as she stood beside the police vehicle.
Police officers administered her first aid at the scene before rushing her in the landrover to Altnagelvin Hospital where she tragically lost her fight for life.
The barbaric murdered sent shockwaves across the North of Ireland and provoked an angry response against the dissident republican terrorists and their political cheerleaders.
On Easter Monday, a protest at Junior McDaid House saw people daub red hand prints on its walls in what has become a social media symbol of opposition to dissident republicans.
Several dissident republicans stood watching the protest including convicted terrorist Thomas Ashe Mellon.
Confirming that a notice to quit was served on Saoradh, one of the owners of the building, Tracey Murray, said Ms McKee’s murder was “heartbreaking”.
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan called on Saoradh and other dissident republican groups to heed the demands of the people of Derry and of Ireland.
Lyra McKee and partner Sara Canning. Lyra had plans to propose to Sara and marry her
“Saoradh should listen to the people and get off their backs.”
Following Lyra’s murder its Twitter and Facebook social media accounts were shut down.
Its website saoradh.ie has also been pulled from the internet.
Three people – two males aged 18 and 19 and a 57-year-old woman were subsequently arrested for questioning over Lyra’s murder.
They were later released unconditionally by detectives from the PSNI’s Major Investigation Team probing the journalist’s horrific murder.
Independent charity Crimestoppers has offered a reward of up to £10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those who carried out the murder.
Detectives have released CCTV footage of the masked gunman and his associates stalking the streets of Creggan armed with a handgun and a crate of petrol bombs which were used to pelt police vehicles.
The suspected New IRA killer who shot dead Lyra McKee in Derry’s Creggan on Thursday, April 18
