Votail - vote Gary Donnelly - Think independently, vote independent poster for Derry City and Strabane District Council Lecky Road, BT48 6LH

Gary Donnelly is an Irish republican politician and an independent member of the Derry and Strabane District Council since 2014 Republican activity - Donnelly is a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM) Arrests and convictions In March 2010, Donnelly was convicted of assaulting a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer and sentenced to seven months imprisonment. While serving his sentence Donnelly briefly went on hunger strike following his removal from the republican wing of HM Prison Maghaberry. Prison officials explained the decision claiming Donnelly had received a death threat from the Real IRA, a charge Donnelly denied. August 2010 Donnelly was charged under the auspices of "terrorism legislation" in connection with three pipe bomb attacks in September 2009 November 2014, Donnelly, along with two co-defendants, was sentenced to six-months in prison for "causing criminal damage" by writing an anti-internment slogan on the historic walls of Derry. Donnelly's solicitor asserted that "writing political slogans had been a long-standing tradition and there were no objections from local residents to the graffiti. July 2015, following a three-volley salute at the funeral of Patsy O'Hara's mother, Donnelly's house was searched by the PSNI. No arrests were made On 24 May 2014, Donnelly was elected to the Derry and Strabane District Council. Although a purported member of the 32CSM at the time, Donnelly ran as an independent and received 1, 154 votes. He supported independent candidate Thomas Pringle in the Donegal constituency in the 2016 general election. Donnelly was re-elected to his council seat on 4 May 2019 with 1, 374 first-preference votes. On 20 May 2023, Donnelly was elected to a third term on the council, topping the poll with 1, 868 first-preference votes