Family, activists and politicians join Justice For Terence Wheelock protest on 21st anniversary

On Saturday, demonstrators gathered at the Garden of Remembrance to mark the anniversary of the arrest of Terence Wheelock.

Wheelock, who was born in Summerhill, North Dublin, was 20 years old when he was arrested and brought to Store Street Garda Station on June 2, 2005. A few hours later, he was found unconscious in his cell and taken to the Mater Hospital, where he remained in a coma before passing away three months later. The official cause of death was recorded as suicide.

The Wheelock family has consistently rejected this, raising concerns about injuries observed on Wheelock's body and inconsistencies in Garda custody records. They have long campaigned for an independent public inquiry.

“Twenty-one years after the death of Terence Wheelock in Garda custody, his family continues their fight for truth and justice,” said Mary Lou McDonald, president of Sinn Féin, wrote on her Instagram after attending the protest. "We stand in solidarity with the Wheelock Family.”

In 2010, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission found no evidence of mistreatment, but acknowledged “systemic failures” in custody procedures. The cell where Wheelock was found was renovated the day after the incident, before an independent examination could be carried out.

“I was 11 when this happened,” said Leon Diop, the founder of  Black and Irish. “Like many people, I became aware of this campaign through the efforts of his family and other activists. This is a case we all need to pay attention to. Too often, we see people from minoritised and working-class backgrounds facing excessive force, long processes for justice, and a lack of cooperation from authorities. We need to show that it doesn’t matter how long it takes. Justice will be delivered. The family deserves to know what happened that day and the time after. The people responsible must be held to account.”

 

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“There must be a full independent public inquiry into the wrongful arrest and suspicious nature of Terence’s death,” said activist Roisin Tracey. “Justice delayed is justice denied. There is cyclical targeting of young men and boys from disadvantaged backgrounds by the Gardai, stand united for Terence, for his family, and to ensure that this never darkens the door of any parent or any community again.“

The family’s campaign remains active, with another protest scheduled for September 19, the anniversary of Wheelock's death.

Find the Terence Wheelock Memorial Diamond Park T-Shirt here.