Fra McCann is an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

. McCann became active in the Irish republican movement and during the 1970s was jailed on a number of occasions. In 1987, he was elected to Belfast City Council

Belfast City Council

Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...

 in a by-election, representing Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...

.

McCann was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...

 representing West Belfast in 2003 and again in 2007.

He was imprisoned during the 1970s for firearms offences. While being held in H-Block 3 of the Maze

Maze (HM Prison)

Her Majesty's Prison Maze was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from mid-1971 to mid-2000....

, McCann befriended Kieran Nugent

Kieran Nugent

Kieran "Header" Nugent was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army and best known for being the first IRA 'blanket man' in the H-Blocks...

 and participated in the blanket protest

Blanket protest

The blanket protest was part of a five year protest during the Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners held in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. The republican prisoners' status as political prisoners, known as Special Category Status, had...

.

In June 2006 McCann was charged with assault and disorderly behaviour following an incident in west Belfast. The incident occurred as the PSNI

Police Service of Northern Ireland

The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....

were attempting to arrest a teenager for attempted robbery. However McCann alleged heavy handedness and stated "I tried to put myself between one of the officers and the girl when the police officer radioed for assistance. McCann was released on bail.