Apprentice Boys 'willing to talk'

Published Monday, 15 August 2011

The governor of the Apprentice Boys has said the organisation is willing to hold face-to-face talks with dissidents, in a bid to avoid a repeat of the weekend's serious rioting in Londonderry.

We’re sorry. This video is unavailable from your location.

Vehicles were hijacked and set alight in the wake of the annual Relief of Derry parade in the city on Saturday - petrol bombs and a pipe bomb were also thrown at police.

Police have blamed dissident republicans, including the Real IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann, for the violence - the worst of which was confined to the Bogside.

"I have no doubt that both groupings were involved in encouraging and organising the violence on Saturday," PSNI Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin said.

Previous talks between the Apprentice Boys and nationalist residents have in the past been able to take some of the heat out of the situation surroundings parades in the city.

Now such talks could be extended to those on the fringes of hardline republicanism, if dissidents are willing to recognise the Apprentice Boys' right to march.

"We're willing to meet anyone who's interested in accommodation, it's not a problem," Apprentice Boys governor Jim Brownlee told UTV. "We'll talk to anyone."

The violence erupted as the Apprentice Boys were ending their parade through the city centre, while on the City Walls, the organisation's headquarters were also targeted by petrol bombers.

The rioting only increased in intensity as police moved in and ten arrests were made.

"What we have coming from the republican nationalist community is cultural apartheid that they're trying to promote," Mr Brownlee added.

"They are manipulating younger people to do it as well, that may not have an understanding of the wider relationships in the city."

Once order was restored, a major clean-up was required to clear the Bogside's streets of rubble and burnt-out cars - but the damage to the city's image could take longer to heal.

Comments

28 Comments

JT in Antrim wrote (279 days ago):

@Steve. I'm sure the police would love to get out of the landrovers and get into the rioting scum, but as you can see in the video, there were blast bombs in the immediate area. Officers have been killed and injured by these devices in the past so how would you combat this? Stay in armoured landrovers perhaps? Or if you were on foot and lucky enough to see the individual with the blast bomb, you could of course shoot him. That's of course if there's not innocent people in the way, or behind and you actually hit the person holding it. Say you do hit him and its dropped and picked up by someone else who runs off? You just shot and killed someone out for a loaf of bread and pint of milk for their sick granny. £200million pounds enquiry later, and you're to blame. Ever heard that before? Pretty far fetched....

Mark O in Londonderry wrote (280 days ago):

Great to see "The Truth being Set Free". Nationalists are not interested in a Shared Future, the posts on here prove that. Paddy to many PIRA RIRA CIRA and ONH are all just the 1 organistion but I'm intelligent enough to know that they are not. Granted they all have cross over in membership but they are not all the same organisation. Now I'm not saying the OO or ABs are terrorists but if Nationalists are ignorant of facts using the Alaphabet Soup Republican Armies as an example should make it easy for some to understand. Paddy you really don't have a clue. The ABOD engaged with SF and the BRG years ago, did you miss that? That's the reason parades have been alot more Peaceful this past few years. Some on here say the ABOD should only march in their own areas and "whatabout" a Republican parade in Ballymena. Well the Apprentice Boys of Derry do march in their own area, the clue is in the name. Is their a Nationalist/Republican Organistion headquartered in Ballymena with strong historical and culturel links to the Town? I know of no such organistion but if there was I'm sure their traditions and Culture would be accepted. The ABOD are not the OO in any way shape or form. The ABs have for years talked to and listened to the Local Nationalist Population. Also going on the posts on here Nationalists in Londonderry seem to think their opinion is the only 1 that counts as they are a majority here. They complained about the treatment they recieved when Unionists where in charge and when they get control they treat the Unionist minority with contempt. Minority rights don't just apply to Nationalist minorities in Belfast and Ballymena folks. Brenda what "you thought" happened and what actually happened might be 2 different things. Maybe it was a Protester from Belfast about to hi-jack a Londonderry Dissis wifes car! What I saw on TV where masked Republicans rioting. If they were mainstream Republicans the Peace Process is in trouble but they were Dissidents and Gary Donnelly promised NO VIOLENCE! Can't believe a word that come out off his mouth. 100s of Petrol Bombs just don't appear! Now how do ya'll figure Londonderry to be an Irish City? Did the Irish Government pay for it's construction? It was built by Englishmen, paid for by £s Sterling and it's Population get those same £s Sterling when they go to Post Office to get their Benefits. Putting up a few Gealic Street Names does not make this place Irish. Londonderry is so British it's going to be UK City Of Culture. Start planning your Protests and gathering up the bottles because in 2013 the OO will be in town the Black will march and the Apprentice Boys have 2 or 3 big Events planned. Bring it on, what ya say Paddy Joe and Brenda. Hope to see you there ;-)

WTF in Ards wrote (280 days ago):

Paddy, 'You can give it all "different organisation" all you like.. As far as I'm concerned they are all one'. Lucky enough it doesn't really matter what you think.

Davy McFaul......it is your comments that are priceless, you tube......the OO, ABOD and RBP are 3 separate instituions whether you like it or not. Whilst even dear old (Sir) Martin McGuinness now admits that SF/IRA were one and the same. Ask Danny Morrison about his (in)famous quote if you don't believe it.

steve in belfast wrote (280 days ago):

@ astounded these people as you call them have every right to celebrate their culture. They do it in peace and with dignity,it is the so called oppressed people that seem to go out of their way to cause mayhem and destruction at every opportunity. Why are the people in this video clip not arrested and tried for attempted murder ? When did it become legal to attack the police with petrol and blast bombs ? The reason this is happening time and time again is because there is no deterrent and no punishment for such acts ! Maybe these mobs need to be confronted on the ground by the police force , no point in just sitting in land rovers getting hammered by petrol bombs . Maybe we have all become so wrapped up in the so called peace process ! A process that has taken away the desire to stop violence in case it offends the community from which the thugs come !!!

More Comments

^ Top of Comments