SF call for parade re-routing

Published Thursday, 30 August 2012
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Sinn Féin has called on the Orange Order to re-route parades away from St Patrick's Church in Belfast for the rest of the marching season.

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It comes after trouble flared outside the Catholic Church over the weekend in the wake of a Royal Black Institution march, which broke Parades Commission rulings.

Bands are due to pass through Donegall Street again next month on their way to Stormont as part of Covenant Day celebrations.

West Belfast MP Paul Maskey said the Order should "reflect on the disgraceful scenes" from Saturday and "take the heat out of the situation" by changing their parade route.

He said: "The sectarian behaviour displayed on Saturday outside St Patrick's is as clear a demonstration of what is wrong with parading in north Belfast as you are likely to see.

"Let people be very clear, these parades are a joint enterprise between the loyal orders and loyalist paramilitaries and in particular the UVF.

"Saturday shows they cannot be trusted to parade either lawfully or respectfully. They need to take the heat out of this situation and they need to reroute themselves away from Donegal Street and St. Patrick's church for the remainder of the marching season."

The violence erupted outside the church after many bands defied a Parades Commission determination by playing music.

The Young Conway Volunteers took part in the march despite being prohibited, after they were filmed playing contentious music outside the same church earlier this year.

A female PSNI officer was taken to hospital and treated for minor head injuries as police
in riot gear held back protesters and supporters who threw bottles and stones.

Peter Osborne from the Parades Commission told UTV the time has come for the issue to be devolved to Stormont and for local politicians to take charge.

He said: "I think it's time for local politicians to take ownership and responsibility of the parading issues and that will reflect the degree of maturity within our political setup at the minute.

"That accountability, appointment of the commission, should rest with local politicians because that will increase ownership and responsibility for the structures and decision making. It's just something naturally right- the next natural step of what should happen."

However UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said the "growing tension over parading" shows that Northern Ireland's leaders have failed to agree a path to a shared future.

He said: "We are 18 years on from the ceasefires and 14 from the Good Friday Agreement.

"These events created a space for us to agree a way forward for Northern Ireland which was inclusive and respectful of all beliefs and cultures.

"The current discontent around parading in NI is a symptom of a deeper problem. We cannot continue to lurch from one crisis to the next; the problems that continue to arise over parading are clear evidence that we need a real effort to deal with it, not more sound bites.

"I would like to extend an invite to the leaders of the four main churches and the Loyal Orders to meet with the Ulster Unionist Party to work out the best way forward."

© UTV News
Comments Comments
31 Comments
Michael H in Belfast wrote (262 days ago):
S.B in Belfast - Well there is something both sides can agree on then as Protestants/Loyalists/Unionists have also lost faith in the peace process but that is due to the continued attacks by Republicans on our culture, the continued take take take of nationalism and the attempts by Republicans to rewrite history. All of this combined has many PUL people feeling that we are being backed into a corner and are finally standing up for ourselves. As for threats etc surely as you can see over the last few years Republicans have posed the greatest threat to peace rioting and shooting when they don't get their way. It is about time the Governments realised that the Republican protestors should be banned from gathering and causing trouble. NOBODY LIVES IN DONEGALL STREET. It is not a Nationalist area and it certainly is not YOUR ROAD. Or OUR ROAD. Its a public place and members of the public have the right to use it. Debate over.
Matt in Newry Ireland wrote (263 days ago):
In response to Ian: Why don't the loyalist bandsmen show true Christian values of respect and tolerance of others; because that is in direct contrast to the loyalist culture of hate. Its a shame really, people of all faiths and none in modern societies get on so well, not here though in the 6 counties.
jim in belfast wrote (263 days ago):
as it has been said before the catholics were there protesting about the bands in there eyes this was ok well the bands were playing music not to snub the church or the catholis but to (protest) against the parades commision and its recent decissions put on the bands thats all it was not secterian and if people think it was then the protest from the catholics was sectirian aswell because thats all it was a protest against the parade commission
Ian in Belfast wrote (263 days ago):
The Roman Catholic clergy should clear the air by announcing that they are true Christians, and hence above being offended by bands. A true Christian spirit would welcome the parade and and wipe out the demon of tension and hatred. But if Roman Catholic priests want to treat this forthcoming centenary parade as some kind of adversity, or trial of their faith, then they are not exactly displaying much fortitude. In the past, Christians have been fed to the lions and they have maintained faith to the end. This is an opportunity for the Catholic priests to show to the nation that they are not merely political priests posturing to the civil authorities in order to make their worldly situation neater.
Ciaran in City Centre Belfast wrote (263 days ago):
Take a step back and look at this a wee second. What good could possibly come from playing what can only be described as anti-Catholic, anti-social and offensive music, whilst passing a Catholic Church? It is blatant blatant bigotry from people with a complete hatred of everything related to the island of Ireland. Given half the chance they would paint the whole land Blue. Surely you realise your 'supporters' who stand outside that church with their pastie specials mindlessly shouting 'Yeoooo' are getting fewer and fewer every year? There is no place for yous, no need for yous, and yous are increasingly being shunned by ALL sections of life here in NI. Time to wake up folks your 'stomp on anyone with different views than ourselves and call it culture' attitude has no place here any more.
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