Members of the Pat Finucane Centre shadowed the visit  to the city today by Secretary of State Peter Mandelson. On his arrival at the  new City Council offices this morning he was met with a large banner reading `Peter Mcride-Justice Denied'. Thinking the banner, which was blocking  his entrance, was made of paper he tried to burst through it but had to resort to  ducking under the banner to gain entrance to the Council offices where he was  met by a large group of protesters from Sinn Fein protesting the RUC Bill. As we  waited for his exit it transpired that the Northern Ireland Office had  contacted the City Council to protest at the protest and demand that the RUC enter  Council property to clear the area. Council officials informed the RUC that they  could not enter Council property but that no attempt would be made to block  his exit. Instead we laid the banner on the pavement alongside his car forcing him  to= literally walk over it as he left. The symbolism of his walking over the  name of Peter Mc Bride was not lost on the assembled cameras.

As he then arrived for a press conference at the  Everglades Hotel we were again planted at the entrance and he chose to walk around  the banner on this occasion. During the press conference he was asked a  number of questions on the ongoing Mc Bride controversy. On his arrival at the  Verbal Arts Centre soon after he was greeted again by the ubiquitous banner and on his exit from Strand Road RUC Headquarters later this afternoon there was a final  reminder to the Secretary of State that the decision to retain the two  Guardsmen who murdered Peter Mc Bride will return to haunt his Government.