Ulster Protestants strike for tougher stand on IRA

Stirred by the militant Rev. Ian Paisley, Protestants in Northern Ireland geared up over the weekend for a provincewide strike today (Nov. 23) that asks Britain to take a tougher stand against the outlawed Irish Republican Army (IRA). The protest is expected to draw thousands of Protestants into the streets.

Fears of a Protestant backlash to a recent spate of IRA killings - including a Protestant member of Parliament - have forced the government to fly in 600 extra troops to push military strength in the province to almost 12,000 men.