City Council Backs Sands Resolution

Less than two hours before Bobby Sands died last night, the Cambridge City Council voted 7-0 to urge the British Parliament to grant "political status" to Sands and other hunger-striking Irish Republican Army prisoners.

The council stated, in a resolution introduced by Councilor Leonard J. Russell and passed without debate, that ending Sands' hunger strike "may be the last chance for the British parliament to prevent a Civil War in Ireland."

Sands died at 8:17 p.m. EDT during the 66th day of his hunger strike, after having entered a coma the day before.

Serving a 14 year sentence for the possession of an unloaded handgun, Sands, who was 27 years old, began his fast to demand changes in prison conditions.

"We're trying to remind people that there's an awful lot of hardship, strike, and suffering going on in Ireland," Russell said.