Seven charged after Belfast disorder

I would be interested to know how the 12th of July is not anti catholic. I am aware that a large number of Jacobites and Williamites were killed. From what I understand Protestants use this day to celebrate William iii over coming James ii at the battle of Aughrim. It is not a comemoration of those who have died otherwise both sides would be joining together and not celebrating British rule. Also if it was for both Protestants and Catholics why on the 11th night would it be fitting to burn the Irish flag, photos of the pope and photos of various members of Sinn Fein on top of their bonfires. I also read about a member of the orange order saying about crumlin that it is supposed to be a tolerant area yet they are not being tolerant in regard to 50 bands wanting to march through their small town. Being a resident of crumlin I know that even when the local bands were marching through the area a lot of trouble arose. I do not condone this violence but I merely suggest that a lot of residents were worried about the safety of the people and the town with the large numbers of people visiting idiot any trouble was to arise. Also none of the local residents were consulted when it was decided that the parade would be in crumlin this year. Tolerance works both ways. I do not condone violence of any kind but unfortunately on both sides people are out to provoke the other side. Maybe one day we can live side by side peacefully.

Aw, Simon, aren't you precious. It is a pity you are a bit presumptuous in respect of my pseudonym, you may have almost been believable. As well you know the marching season with over 3,000 marches a year last for quite a bit longer than 2 days....Just as a matter of interest, seeing you come from East Belfast and all, can you tell me what houses are to the right of those marching in the above picture? You know? Where you can plainly see some orangemen gawking over at?

If that is the case then you should not have been marching if you can't control your followers. Nothing like an Orangeman wishing to wash his hands behaiour of their minion followers. It's like Drumcree and the Springfield Road all over again. Yeah, the Orange Order are very disciplined at playing Pontius Pilate, even when they are smack-bang in the thick of it....Try growing a pair and actually dealing with consequences of your actions...

@Ulysses26 in Belfast - you are quite correct. The rest of andy's message makes sense to me though. @seamus - Respect! 99% of Short Strand in my opinion are decent people. I would need to lower that a few percentage points for Ardoyne though - but still overwhelmingly decent folk. Both of my grandfathers were OO. However, I am indifferent about their existance. I view it as 2 days off work in July not afforded to any other region of the British Isles! Enjoy! I shall do some DIY. However, the parade wasn't trying to go down Mountpottinger Road, so why exactly did certain Short Strand residents feel the need to congregate at the bottom of Castlereagh Street to simply be offended? The same could be said about Ardoyne shops. Let the OO have their little march and just act like normal human beings. They don't go out of their way to attack Irish Nationalists. Behave youselves. The job of the police is to uphold law and order (neutral). Wishing for a peaceful July. I don't think anyone can afford it not to be.

@Ulysses32, yes I am very sure actually, that no one ON PARADE retaliated, we are talking about the discipline of the people on parade here, not the mugs standing on either side of the parade stirring things up. Read the post next time...