Editing Red Hand Commando (section)

{{Short description|Ulster loyalist paramilitary group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox War Faction
|name = Red Hand Commando (RHC)
|war = [[the Troubles]]
|image = [[File:Emblem of the Red Hand Commando.png|200px|]]<br />[[File:Flag of the Red Hand Commando.png|250px]]
|active = 1970 – 2007/2009 (declared ceasefire in October 1994, ended armed campaign in May 2007, disarmed by 2009)
|ideology = [[British unionism]]<br />[[Ulster loyalism]]<br />[[Anti-Catholicism]]<br />[[Anti-Irish sentiment]]
|leaders = Ronnie "Flint" McCullough, <br />  [[John McKeague]],<br />[[Winston Churchill Rea]],<br /> [[William Smith (loyalist)|William "Plum" Smith]],<br />"Brigade Staff"
|clans = Red Hand Youth (youth wing)<br />[[Progressive Unionist Party]] (political representation)
|headquarters = [[Belfast]]
|area = [[Northern Ireland]]
|size = Small
|predecessor =
|successor =
|allies = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Ulster Volunteer Force.svg}} [[Ulster Volunteer Force]]
|opponents = {{flagdeco|Ireland}} [[Irish republicanism|Irish republicans]]<br /> [[Irish nationalism|Irish nationalists]]
|battles= 
|caption=|status=}}

The '''Red Hand Commando'''<ref name="Name">{{cite web |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/organ/rorgan.htm#rhc |title=Red Hand Commando (RHC), Cain: Abstracts of Organisations |publisher=Cain.ulst.ac.uk |access-date=2012-08-11 |archive-date=6 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206180554/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/organ/rorgan.htm#rhc |url-status=live }}</ref> (RHC) is a small secretive [[Ulster loyalism#Paramilitary and vigilante groups|Ulster loyalist paramilitary]] group in [[Northern Ireland]] that is closely linked to the [[Ulster Volunteer Force]] (UVF). Its aim was to combat [[Irish republicanism]] – particularly the [[Irish Republican Army]] (IRA) – and to maintain Northern Ireland's status as part of the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mulvenna|first=Gareth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fUZvDwAAQBAJ|title=Tartan Gangs and Paramilitaries: The Loyalist Backlash|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-1-78138-325-4|language=en}}</ref> The Red Hand Commando carried out shootings and bombings, primarily targeting Catholic civilians.<ref name="ReferenceA">''The Milwaukee Journal'', 13 August 1974</ref><ref name="CAIN Index of Deaths">{{cite web |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/crosstabs.html |title=CAIN Index of Deaths |publisher=Cain.ulst.ac.uk |access-date=2012-08-11 |archive-date=24 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324044004/http://www.cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/crosstabs.html |url-status=live }}</ref> As well as allowing other loyalist groupings to claim attacks in their name, the organisation has also allegedly used the [[cover name]]s [[Red Branch|"Red Branch Knights"]] and "Loyalist Retaliation and Defence Group".<ref name="Sunday Life, 7 May 1995">''Sunday Life'', 7 May 1995</ref> It is named after the [[Red Hand of Ulster]], and is unique among loyalist paramilitaries for its use of an [[Irish language]] motto, ''Lámh Dearg Abú'', meaning 'red hand to victory'.<ref>Mulvenna, Gareth. ''Tartan Gangs and Paramilitaries: The Loyalist Backlash''. Oxford University Press, 2016. p.215. Quote: "Ronnie McCullough adopted the motto 'Lamh Dearg Abu' for the RHC – an Irish phrase which means 'Red hand to victory'".</ref><ref>De Brun, Fionntan. ''Belfast and the Irish language''. Four Courts Press, 2006. p.157. Quote: "UVF members learned the Irish language while in jail and the RHC adopted the Irish motto 'Lamh Dearg Abu' ('red hand for ever')".</ref><ref>[https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2018/07/23/news/red-hand-commando-flags-with-irish-language-slogan-flown-1388627/ "Red Hand Commando flags with Irish language slogan flown"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723123014/https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2018/07/23/news/red-hand-commando-flags-with-irish-language-slogan-flown-1388627/ |date=23 July 2018 }}. ''[[The Irish News]]''. 23 July 2018.</ref>

Writing in early 1973, Martin Dillon characterized the Red Hand Commando thus: "the composition of this group was highly selective, and it was very secret in its operations. Its membership was composed in the main of Protestant youths – the Tartans who roamed the streets at night looking for trouble. These youths longed for action, and McKeague let them have it."{{citation needed |date=December 2016}}

The Red Hand Commando was the only major loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland not to have its ranks heavily penetrated by a so-called [[supergrass (informant)|supergrass]] or informant during the early 1980s; this was attributed to the group's secrecy (described as an "enigma") and opaque structure.<ref name="Fortnight Publications 1984">''[[Fortnight Magazine]]'', Issue 200, p. 9-10. Fortnight Publications, 1984.</ref> 

The RHC is a Proscribed Organisation in the United Kingdom under the [[Terrorism Act 2000]].<ref>{{cite act |title=Terrorism Act 2000 |title-link=Terrorism Act 2000 |date=2000-07-20 |orig-section=c. 11, sched. 2 |chapter=Proscribed Organisations |reporter=UK Public General Acts |chapter-url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/schedule/2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121085241/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/schedule/2 |archive-date=2013-01-21 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Red Hand Commando made a failed application in September 2017 to be removed from the list of proscribed organisations in the UK.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-41238502 |title=Loyalist Red Hand Commando applies to be legalised |date=12 September 2017 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=12 September 2017 |archive-date=15 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915115231/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-41238502 |url-status=live }}</ref>