Tag: Parade Commission

THREE LOYALIST PROTESTS GET GO-AHEAD.

THE Parades Commission has given the go-ahead for three separate loyalist protests during a republican parade in North Belfast today.

Up to 150 people are expected to take part in the protests at Clifton Street during a parade linked to the Republican Network for Unity (RNU). The parade, organised to remember United Irishman Henry Joy McCracken, have been ordered by the Parades Commission to play only a single drumbeat as they make their way along Clifton Street to his grave at a nearby cemetery. Organisers say they expect up to four bands, 700 participants and 500 supporters to take part in the parade. There was serious loyalist rioting over several nights in the area in 2012 after a similar parade while republicans claimed they were jeered and attacked by missiles during last year’s parade. “The decision to once again allow three protests will put parade participants at risk of loyalist violence as seen in previous years,” he added. A Royal Black Institution parade due to take place along Clifton Street today is not expected to clash with the republican march.
With many thanks to: The Irish News.

Posted from WordPress for Android

UNIONIST CYNICISM IS WORKED INTO STRATEGY

The bigots – unionist politicians and loyal order spokesmen say – are the critics, not the bandsmen and never the marchers. It wouldn’t convince a child, particularly not a child whose earliest days at school have to be guarded by police.

AFTER the distress and ugliness of Holy Cross 12 years ago, this was surely a sight few could imagine anyone wanted to recreate. North Belfast had enough woe this summer, before police arrived on Monday morning to guard children on their way to school.

red-hand-defenders-rhd
Red Hand Defenders – Formed 1979

Better not build tension, though, by lending credence to a mangy old fiction. Whoever made those phone threats – let’s remember that the ‘Red Hand Defenders’ emerged in the first place as the flimsiest of fake titles – few if any credited this a new grouping, separate from the UDA. The flag of see-through convenience brandished cynically over Rosemary Nelson‘s blown-up car gave the big-name paramilitaries cover, if only for the benefit of Northern Ireland office record-keepers and in their own minds, when they issued the limp denials while talking up their commitment to peace. Today’s unionists and loyalists have worked up cynicism into a strategy of sorts, limited but stubborn. Some came out and disowned the school threats. But why would anyone take them seriously after a summer’s tap-dancing around and away from rresponsibility? From leadership level down to party activist, unionist politicians who used to routinely and reflexively object, furiously to being accused of sectarianism, now use the word as a weapon. HOLY CROSS - not this fucking time !!!They throw in ‘intolerance’ and the ccomparatively recent discovery of a ‘culture war‘ to attempt to dismiss and belittle Republican and nationalist objections to marches, to swat away criticism of bands blattering their way past St Patrick‘s. What is truely sectarian, unionists insisists, is the critisism, not Orange or Black or Apprentice Boy or band behaviour. The bigots – unionist politicians and loyal order spokesmen say – are the critics, not the bandsmen and never the marchers. It  wouldn’t convince a child, particularly not a child whose eariliest days at school have to be guarded by police. It cannont possibly convince many unionists at a greatful distence from North Belfast, and by all accounts it doesn’t even fly with Orangemen elsewhere. But too few have come right out this summer and said this is shocking stuff. Nice new NI21 and senior clergy got round to it eventually but there was no immediate chorus of disgust.

Suspected car-bomb on Tuesday morning which prevented Catholic children from attending Holy Cross Girls School but turned out to be a deliberate hoxe
A car-bomb hoxe which prevented Catholic children from attending primary school this morning amid death threats by the Red Hand Defenders (RHD)

t is just too hard for Protestants to critcise elements in their own community – hard in terms of threats and ostracism, harder on their families. Watch what hapens to the Alliance vote next time out, particularly in East Belfast. Note the swithering of unionist commentators, trying to disown the entire marching season, unable to follow through. 1236041_198155473698125_382386466_nStand the words sectarianism and bigotry on ther heads, turn the evidence of eys and ears inside-out, and if you are a unionist leder in want of ideas there’s a serviceable plan heading into the a run of the elections. Accuse nationalists of dancing to republician tunes, blame republicians for fomenting the trouble where bandsmen and marchers are merely celebrating their ‘culture’, and you have the makings of platforms and statements to ward off cracks from Jim Allister about sharing power with the IRA’s decendents. Not that they can silence Allister, nor set their own people up with any reason to be positive about the furture. Billy Hutchinson, once a heartening voice for the most disheartened loyalist districts, thinks to claim the threats against north Belfast Catholic schools in reality came from republicians. If he simply beleives it himself that’s bad enough. If he simply says it, without the least evidence or care for the implications, there is a small chance of decent politics emerging from the shell of Progressive Unionism. What’s left of the UVF or groupings round local hardmen, various UDAs likewise, plus a range of indivdulas at variious stages of ‘transition’ to peaceful politics. It is grim, unpleasant and dishonest approach from people who think no further than their own next vote and voice nothing counter to the instincts of their own least privileged potential voters. The Flags Protest morphed swiftly into a disorderly mess that many wanted nothing to do with but it didn’t pay to say so. The DUP sniffed the soot on the air and trooped into court to support Ruth Patterson. Peter Robinson tinkered with his text, reversed its messagd, and presumably decided to hid out in the Everglades for as long as possible – eat burgers, ride his bike, maybe play a little guitar of an evening. It will be harder than ever to take him seriously when he re-enters our sphere. Not a goid note to quit on, but surely time to consider those offers from the business world.

With many thanks to : Fionnula O Connor, The Irish News.

Related articles

ORANGE DEMO DEATH THREAT – DISSIDENTS TARGET LOYALIST CAMP

Cop warning to protesters

  • REBEL republicans have issued death threats to Orange demo supporters manning the protest camp at the Ardoyne interface in Belfast.

  • The Sunday World can reveal that police have visited the homes of a core of those keeping vigil at the so-called Protestant Civil Rights Camp at the top of the city‘s Twaddell Avenue.

  • And the cops have told them that their lives are in danger from dissidents, and they must take precautions to protect themselves and their families.

  • We can also reveal that the camp which is costing £40,000 a day to police – is being run on a ‘shift’ basis, detailed in its nine-point, four pages long ‘Code of Conduct‘, a copy of wwhich the Sunday World has seen.

  • And that includes a ban on booze at the 24/7 makeshift camp and barring kids from the camp, but ‘encouraging’ them to be on the front line supporting Orange ‘parades and events’.

LOYALIST protesters backing the Orange Order’s demand to march past the riot-ridden Ardoyne flashpoint in Belfast are under death threat from republican dissidents.

1003744_490569124366274_1697314669_n

A number of pickets, staging shifts at the so-called ‘Equality Civil Rights Camp’ on the corner of the city’s Twaddell Avenue, have been visited at their homes access the city by police and officially warned their lives are in danger.They have been told that the rebel republican militants may have details of their movements, their workplaces, their cars, and their home aaddresses – many in the loyalist districts of the city – and their domestic and family circumstances. It is understood that the dissidents may have been targeting  prominent loyalists way back since the six-week long Union Flag pprotests which streached over last Christmas and New Year, and sparked mayhem on city streets.

HUGE

  • The death threats come at a critical time after a the long hot summer of marching and rioting in Belfast, with violence erupting on both sides of the sectarian devide. It has been reported in recent days that there are now splits emerging in the ranks of the two main loyalist paramilitary organisations, the UVF and the UDA, with some hawks in both organisations wanting to break their ceasefires and ‘go back to war’. That was underpinned by the huge haul of UVF guns discovered hidden in a glen in South Belast a fortnight ago. If the dissidents dotarget any of the potesters – especially those prominent at the so-called ‘Civil Rights’ Camp situted on the fringe of the tinderbox Ardoyne interface – retaliation is almost certain to folow from the UVF, who staged a sinister show-of-strength at its annual Brian Robinson commemorition parade in the West of the city yesterday. There were also reports yesterday of masked UVF men firing a volley of shots in the Sankill Parade area on Friday night, as a preveiw to yesterday’s parade. Said a senior loyalist on the Shankill last night: “The dissidents should be aware. If they act against any loyalists taking part in parade protests, or any of hsr keeping vigil at the Twaddell Avenue camp, that will be tantamount to an act of war.” Meanwhile, we can reveal that  a self-styled ‘Code of Conduct’ means that the protest camp – labeled the ‘Civil Rights’ Camp, and ‘established to campaign for Equility’ according to the titleon the Code – is being run on a military-style template. We have seen the extensive nine-point, four-page Code. It requires a specified minimum number of camp supporters to do ‘shifts’ round-the-clock, 24/7. And the Code, which carres almost 40 clauses, covers such Camp ‘Protocols’ as: –
  • A total ban on booze and drugs. A crucial clause reads: ‘Alcohol/Substances are ‘NOT TO CONSUMED’ in or around the vicinty of the Camp under any circumstance, and those considered to be under the influence of Alochol/Substances will be removed from the Camp and requested to leave the vicinty. It further states ‘this includes visitors from ther venues’.
  • A ban on nocturnal nookie at the Camp. One Protocol states: “Only couples (married/partners ) will be permitted to share Night/Duty”.
  • A ‘No Smoking’ ban on indoor or inclosed areas of the Camp, near cooking facilities.
  • A ban on music after nine at night.
  • A strict, military-style Camp Duty Shift rota.
  • A Never-on-a-Sunday ‘events’ ban, with the Sabbath ‘being used only for White Line Protes and Camp Staffing’.
  • A ban on children from the Camp and White Line protests ‘for reasons of Health and Safety’, although there is no ban on children being in the front line in other circumstances. One protocol reads: “They [children] are however encouraged to support parades and events but MUST be under the supervision of an adult at all times.’

The penultimate line of the Code of Conduct even carries a disclaimer in a blunt warning in bbold type it warns: “You enter and remain on this site at your own risk.”

ORDER

Meantime, the UVF’s annual stage-managed show-of-strength on the Shankill Road passed off peacefully yesterday. The parade is held annually to ‘commemorate’ UVF volenteer Brian Robinson, shot dead in an SAS ambush after he gunned down a Catholic shop kepper, Paddy McKena, at the Ardoyne in 1989. Ranks of UVF men dressed in black suits, white shirts and black ties, were marshalled and marched to a wall mural in Robinson’s memory in Disraeli Street closr to the’Civil Rights’ protest at Ardoyne. Said a loyalist siurce on the Shankill: “The UVF put out an order that the ‘lid was to be kept’ on the Robinson commemoration.”

With many thanks to : Jim McDowell, Sunday Word.

Related articles

THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL

Tensions rise as:

  • UVF gunman replaces Best in loyalist heartland mural

  • Nationalist residents say: No more parades past St Patrick‘s

  • £100,000 an hour bill for policing Twelfth is revealed.

A NATIONALIST group has called for loyalist parades to be rerouted away from St Patrick’s Church in central Belfast. Carrick Hill Concerned Residents ‘ Group ‘ which had previously said it did not require rerouting, made the call after repeated breaches of Parades Commission determinations.

216752_434363066653387_1634267034_n

Last weekend Mass was interrupted when several bands taking part in a Royal Black Institution parade arrived back late and played The Sash outside. Parishioners said the priest could not be heard. The Donegal Steet route is used by numerous loyal order parades each year including the main Twelfth of July Belfast demonstration. In The Irish News today Frank Dempsey, a spokesman for the residents ‘ group, writes: “You cannot parade through nationalist areas and treat us residents and our church with contempt. “Therefore we are now calling on the Parades Commission to seriously consider rerouting these contentious parades away from our area and our church.” Tensions are also increasing within loyalism in east Belfast where a mural of football legend George Best, painted less than three years ago as part of a ‘reimaging’ programe, is being replaced with a painting of a masked UVF gunman. The painting at Inverwood Court was funded with European money as part of a regeneration project managed by Belfast City Council. Meanwhile, The Irish News has learned that policing the Twelfth of July this year cost £2.3 million – almost £100,000 per hour. The figure was an increase of £600,000 on last year. Half of the cost to taxpayers was made up of PSNI overtime, which was £1.1m for the single day.

‘The greatest cost of all is the social, political and economic caused by contentious parades – Alex Maskey.

Violence broke out in Belfast on the evening of the Twelfth demonstrations and contiued for several nights afterwards after the Parades Commission banned Orange Order members from walking past nationalist homes in Ardoyne. For the first time, PSNI officers were supported by hundreads of mutual aid officers from constabularies in England, Wales and Scotland. Officers came under fire from blast bombs, petrol bombs and other missiles. A total of 99 people were arrested, with 72 charged and 10 reportded to the Public Prosecution Service. However, while serious disorder continued for a number of days, the £2.3m figure is only for a one day policing operatin, on Friday, July 12. The figure is noticeably higher than the cost of the policing operation last year. The total cost of policing parades and associated public disorder on Thursday July 12 2012 into the early hours of Friday, July 13 was £1.7m. While half of this year’s £2.3m figure was made up of police overtime, it all includes the cost of mutual policing which was £534,000.

Just more than £545,000 was allocated to “other departments”, including finance and support services. Procurement and logistics cost £50,000, transport services cost £26,000 and part time district police officers cost £27,000. In addition, £51,000 was spent on duty police officers and £3,000 spent on other departments. DUP Policing Board member Jonathan Craig, who branded the Parades Commission, “a failed entity”, said the figure clearly showed that a “political solution must be found to the parading issue”. “I don’t think any of us will be at all surprised the cost has risen from last year, given the level and scale of violence that we have witnessed on the streets of Northern Ireland,” he said. Mr Craig described the decision to bring in mutual aid officers as a “strategic move” and said he intended to raise the issue at the next Policing Board meeting. “Is this the way to move forward with regard to reinforcing PSNI numbers or do they need to increase recruitment?” Sinn Fein assembly member Alex Mackey said his party believed that the true cost of policing July 12 this year was “more than the amount identified”. “There is an ongoing public expence araising from the policing operation of those who will not comply with the determination lof the Parades Commission I relation to the 12th July at Ardoyne,” he said. “However the greatest cost of all is the social, political and economic caused by contentious parades. “This cost is one which local communities affected, and our society as a whole can no longer be expected to pay.”

With many thanks to : Connla Young, Allison Morris and Marie Louise McCrory, The Irish News.

Related articles

Related articles

CALLS FOR BANDSMEN TO BE PROSECUTED FOR BREACHES

‘There is growing public opinion that those who march in these bands and breach determinations have a level of impunity – Caral Ni Chuilin.

THERE have been calls for prosecutions against bandsmen who repeatedly flout Parades Commission determinations outside St Patrick‘s Church on Belfast’s Donegal Street.

1044077_678664235482253_988254712_n

In the latest incident on Saturday, a band taking part in a Royal Black Institution parade played The Sash while Mass was being celebrated inside. The Parades Commission had ruled that the return parade be completed ahead of Mass on Saturday evening. The latest breach by loyalist bandsmen outside St Patrick’s comes on the back of a number of breaches so far this year. On July 12 last year, the Young Conway Volunteers band drew widespread criticism after its members were videoed marching in circles outside the church while playing the sectarian ‘Famine Song‘. Dozens of loyalist bandsmen are facing prosecution over the incident, which prompted subsequent restrictions from the parades body. Fr Sheehan said it was regrettable that the PSNI had allowed the parade to pass the church during Mass.

North Belfast politicians urged the authorities to get tough with those flouting parades rulings. Carpal Ni Chuilin, the Stormont culture minister, said there was a growing concern that those who breached the parades body’s rulings were escaping prosecution. “There have been consistent breaches this year by bands of conditions laid down by the Parades Commissions determinations,” said the Sinn Fein MLA. “There is growing public opinion that these bands and breach determinations have a level of impunity.” North Belfast assembly member Albany Maginness called for “decisive action” from the police and Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to target those responsible for the breaches. The SDLP representative said Massgoers consistently complained to him about the lack of prosecutions.

“I have no complaints about the policing, which was fair and reasonable, but these repeated violations of Parades Commission determinations need to be addressed and I see no evidence of that from the PSNI or PPS,” he said. A spokesman for the Parades Commission said the body would review its own monitor reports on Saturday’s parade as well as information from the PSNI. “Any breach of a determination is a matter for the police to investigate and those involved could be liable to prosecution.”

With many thanks to : John Manley (Political Reporter), The Irish News.

Related articles

LOYALIST BAND PLAY THE SASH OUTSIDE CATHOLIC MASS

Loyal order ‘flouted’ restrictions

THE conduct of loyalist marchers (Orange Disorder) at the Last Saturday parade was “beyond comprehension the parish priest of St Patrick‘s Church in Belfast has said. Fr Michael Sheehan was reacting to the Royal Black parade on Saturday when loyalists played The Sash while Mass was being celebrated inside the church.

RE-ROUTE THE FLUTE! BAN SECTARIAN MARCHES

Fr Sheehan, said: “it was disappointing and disheartening that the Royal Black Preceptory consider that the playing the Sash as they march past residents of Carrick Hill and through this community of St PPatrick’s was respectful.”The playing of loud music as they pass in frount of St Patrick’s Church during devine worship is definitely not respectful, It is not conductive to the building of respect, trust and confidence between the communities of this city. It doesn’t win the respect or trust of the congregation of this church. This particular breach of codes of practice is beyound comprehension,” he said. “It is difficult not to interpret such actions on the part of the loyal orders as a failure at any real attempt to resolve the issues around the contentious parades as they pass St Patrick’s Church and it’s community.”

The last Saturday parade which passed St Patrick’s Church on Belfast’s Donegall Street “flouted every legal restriction placed on it,” according to the culture minister Caral Ni Chuilin, a Sinn Fein MLA for the area said “total disrespect” shown to the nationalist community living in the area. The Parades Commission had determined that only a single drum beat be played as bands passed Carrick Hill while the return leg was supposed to be finished ahead of Mass. However, nationalist politicians claimed the Royal Black Institution (a supposedly religious orgainasition) was delayed by participants so that it coincided with Ssturday evening Mass. While music was played passing the church. Ms Ni Chuilin also claimed a member of the order had spat on a protester. Parish priest Fr Michael Sheehan said: “Tensions had been inflamed by “disrespect for the rule of law and good civic relations between citizens, organisation and communities”.

Ms Ni Chuilin said: “I am fed up hearing about loyal orders being religious oeganisations celebrating culture when in reality what was on show today was an exercise in sectarian coa trailing through a nationalist area.970645_693636490662862_35749967_n “A member of the Royal Black Institution spat upon a protester and on the way home they waited until Mass had started before returning past St Patrick’s Church. “Every aspect of the determination in relation to the parade was broken today and it is my opinion it was an effort to goad nationalist residents into some type of retaliatory reaction.” SDLP assembly member Alban Maginness said he believed marchers acted “quite deliberately” to delay the parade to coincide with Mass.”The Black men (bastards) were supposed to have finished their parade by 6.15. They didn’t commence their parade until around 7.10 so they passed the church after Mass had started,” he said. He said the manner which music was played when passing the church as “not fitting for prayer or worship” and described the behaviour of marchers as “aggressive and provocative”. In June this year the Orange Order, in conjunction with the Royal Black Institution, issued a “template” it said would help ease tensions in the area. The template suggested they would facilitate weddings, funerals and regular church services. Violence erupted outside Donegall Street church during a similar parade last yesr when nationalists and loyalists clashed. A spokesman for the Royal Black Institution said: “Around Northern Ireland on Saturday, approximately 18,000 members of the Royal Black Institution took part in their annual Last Saturday demonstrations. “Many thousands of turned out to enjoy the spectable which is an important part of our culture, (are they having a fucking laugh). “Although there will always be people opposed to our parades, we are pleased that our day passed off without any incident and we beleive this is a step forward.”

With many thanks to : Simon Cunningham, The Irish News.

Related articles

UVF AND PROTESTANT COALITION’S BLOOD RIOTS

Mob boss ‘Meerkat’ arrested as UVF and the Protestant Coalition fuel hate attacks on cops.

WHIMPERING UVF boss Colin ‘Meerkat’ Fulton is hauled away as loyalist mob rule strangles Belfast city centre. The UVF High command was on parade on Friday night as the city centre was ripped apart – cars hijacked, bars attacked, people hospitalised – proof that the paramilitary organisation orchestrated and controlled seven hours of sickening street riots.

kr


The Sunday World can reveal that high ranking UVF figures including Shan kill chiefs Joe ‘No Neck’ McGaw, and ‘Harmless’ Harry Stockman were among hundreads of loyalists coralled on Belfast’s Royal Avenue.

GRATINGS

From the Protestant Coalition Facebook page and the Parades Commission granted the bigots permission to protest….

Fulton’s UVF boss Eddie ‘Onions’ Rainey was also there. The paramilitary ledership watched as paving stones were ripped up and gratings used as missiles to hurl at police. Rampant loyalist mobs smashed windows at the Hudson Bar on Gresham Street stealing beer kegs which were also used as weapons. Customers in the Sunflower Lounge on Union Street had a lucky escape as a baying mob tried to smash windows. The police fired 26 plastic bullets and made seven arrests as the over-stretched force tried to contain the trouble. One unsuspecting German tourist was hauled from his car on North Street and his hire car set on fire; two American police officers who had been taking part in the World Police and Fire Games looked bewildered as violence erupted. Other Games athletes were barricaded into a city centre bar, unable to gain access to a youth hostel on Kent Street just off Royal Avenue. PSNI/RUC Chief Constable Matt Baggott ( who was fishing at the time), described the violence as “mindless anarchy” and “thugery”. He praised his officers, saying they had put their lives on the line to protect the rule of law. “I want to commend my colleagues for their immense courage last night. I have no doubt whatsoever that they prevented that anarchy from spreading and without that courage, many lives may well have been lost,” Mr Baggot said. Loyalist ‘Paster From Hell’ Clifford Peoples was also on the ground taking pictures of police officers and journalists as trouble erupted.

BOMBS

The roly poly paramilatery apologist has spent 10 years behind bars for a string of terrorist convictions and even boasted that he “blessed” bombs and guns used in loyalist terrorist atrocities. 1003744_490569124366274_1697314669_nBut it is Fulton’s arrest that caused the most comment. The South Belfast terror boss was seen mouthing off at riot cops as police tried to force the crowd down Royal Avenue. But once he was snatched from behind loyalist lines, Fulton was a different man. As our exclusive pictures show Fulton didn’t put up any struggle as he was led away. Gone was the bravado as he pleaded with officers to “go easy.” “No need to push,” he bleated, “I’m not resisting arrest, there’s no problem.” The UVF/Protestant Coalition orchestrated  the riots in response to an anti-Internment parade which left Belfast city centre like a war zone. The republican parade which was due to pass through Royal Avenue was re-rourted and was subsequently held up and attacked by loyalist bigots at the bottom of the Shankill. Then police pushed the bigots back up the Shankill to allow the anti-Internment parade to pass through. There was over 5,000 republican activists took part in the march, and showed dignity and restrint at the provokacation by loyalist rioters.

SHAMEFUL

Dozens of police officers were injured 56 in total during the protests. 26 plastic baton rounds were fired by police, two water cannons and dogs were deployed during the disorder. 970700_10200464449445996_2118700494_nOnly seven people were arrested and detained on suspicion of offences including riotous behaviour, disorderly behaviour and hijacking and are expected to appear in court later today. Secretary of State Theresa Villers described the violence and attacks on police as “shameful”. She said what had happened was a “hugely regrettable step backwards” after the North of Ireland‘s recent successes at hosting the G8 summit and World Police and Fire Games. The Sunday World now understands that the Orange Order is becoming increasingly concerned at the amount of control exercised by the paramilitaries. Meetings are now planned to discuss a ‘new way’ of securing the future of loyalist parades. The Parades Commission which had given permission for six loyalist protests ( even though they were not passing any loyalist areas) against the republican parade will now reveiw their decision as police struggled to maintain order. A further concern is that police resources are being stretched to the limit. One officer speaking to the Sunday World said he had two days off since the start of December.

Related articles

Loyalists troll Twelfth TV documentary teen

A TEENAGER has been bombarded with threatening and abusive messages from loyalist internet trolls after appearing in a BBC documentary about the Twelfth. Tania Lavery was forced to delegate her Twitter account after receiving a barrage of of offensive messages including death threats and rape threats.

1074821_656502534378207_1885965118_o

The 19-year-old took part in the BBC Three show Petrol Bombs and Peace: Welcome 🙂 mentto Belfast which focused on Twelfth of July tensions in the north of the city. One alarming image posted following the broadcast on Monday evening attempted to identify her Ardoyne home. Ms Lavery’s experience comes amid increasing concern over Twitter trolls – people who send abusive messages using the social network – threatening rape and violence against women. Labour MP Stella Crash is among a host of high-profile recent targets. Earlier this week it also emerged that 14-year-old Leicestershire scoolgirl Hanna Smith had taken her own life as a result of relentless cyber bullying on the Ask.FM social-networking site. Ms Lavery, a former pupil of Holy Cross Primary School, said she is afraid to be in her own home and has had difficulty sleeping since receiving the death threats.

“A man wrote that he hopes I get raped at the bus stop and talked about how I’m a tramp, that I’m a bigoted scumbag,” she said. “My phone literally wouldn’t stop because I had over a hundred friend requests on Facebook. “They found my Twitter and they found my YouTube because I sing and they are making fun of it. “I deleted my Twitter because people were just making up lies.” The documentary followed BBC reporter Alys Harte as she spoke to Orange bandsmen and young Catholics in Ardoyne ahead of this year’s Twelfth. Ms Slavery and her friend Rosin Holmes (18), are from a Catholic background, gave their views and told of their experiences. Both have since received abuse online. Ms Slavery said she was determined to cope with the threats. “They think that all this stuff is going to change who I am but it’s not,” she said. “Yes, I am afraid to be in my house and I’m afraid to go outside on my own but it’s not going to change me.” Ms Slavery said some Orange men involved in the programs had sent her supportive messages online. “The guy that messaged me said we should all go for a drink sometime, even though we were both on the show and we clearly had different opinions,” she said.

With many thanks to : Brendan Hughes, The Irish News.

Related articles

Orange Order to find out parade protest decision

THE Orange Order will find out today whether it will be allowed to stage a protest at a major internment parade in Belfast city centre.

970645_693636490662862_35749967_n

In what is believed to be a first, the order has applied to the Parades Commission to demonstrate during the march by anti-agreement republican groups tommorow evening. The Anti-Internment League says it has organised the “human rights” parade to highlight what it describes as “internment by remand” of republicans facing paramilitary charges. It notified the commission that up to 5,000 people could take part. Two loyalist groups which emerged during the Union flag protests earlier this year – United Protestant Voice and the Protestant Coalition – have also applied to hold separate protests at Royal Avenue involving up to 200 people each.

The Parades Commission has already granted two previously unknown groups – Greater Concerned Residents Group Belfast and Concerned Residents Group Shankill Belfast – to hold separate demonstrations involving 150 people each at Royal Avenue. And it emerged last night that a sixth group – the Friends of No 9 District – have now applied to hold a protest involving 150 people. If all the demonstrations get the green light it could bring the total number of loyalists opposing the march to 950. SDLP assembly member Albban Maginness called for calm ahead of the parade. “The SDLP believe that people have the right to express their views but that with that right there is a responsibility to behave in a sensitive and respectful way,” he said.

With many thanks to : Connla Young, The Irish News.

Related articles

BANDSMEN TO FACE COURT A YEAR AFTER St PATRICK’S FURORE

‘The decision has been taken to prosecute 15 individuals in relation to an incident at St Patrick‘s Church on July 12 2012 – PPS spokeswoman.

FIFTEEN members of a loyalist band filmed playing sectarian music while marching in circles outside a Catholic church are set to be prosecuted. Controversy erupted after members of Young Conway Volunteers were recorded playing the ‘Famine Song‘ at St Patrick’s Church in Belfast city centre on the Twelfth of July last year.

StPatricks_sash_12072013

The song contains anti-Catholic and anti-Irish lyrics and is sung by Glasgow Rangers supporters and loyalists. The episode, which made international headlines, was blamed for making the St Patrick’s area a new parading flashpoint and stoking wider tensions across the north of the city. More than a year after the footage emerged, it is understood band members are to be prosecuted for the offence of “doing a provocative act”. Since last years parade – part of the main Twelfth procession through Belfast city centre – parishioners at St Patrick’s and local residents have objected to loyal order marches passing the church and the nearby nationalist district of Carrick Hill. Based on the Shan kill Road, the Young Conway Volunteers band was formed in 2007 for the “preservation and promotion” of the memory of Thomas Skinner – a member of the UVF youth wing, the Young Citizen Volunteers, who died in 2003.

The band caused more controversy last August when it defied a Parades Commission ruling not to take part in a Royal Black Institution parade past St Patrick’s. Violence flared when a large number of bands also broke a commission determination by playing music as they passed the church. Members of Young Conway Volunteers took part in this year’s Twelfth parade past St Patrick’s with a band called Young Citizens Volunteers. To date only one person has been convicted of offences a raising out of the July 2012 incident outside St Patrick’s. In March this year William Bell (48), known as Billy, admitted assaulting north Belfast man JJ Magee. Bell waved a club-shaped stick at the Sinn Fein member as he was filming the YCV band outside the church. It is understood members of the band will appear in court later this month.

A spokeswoman for the Public Prosecution Service confirmed: “The decision has been taken to pprosecute 15 individuals in relation to an incident at St Patrick’s Church on July 12 2012.” Meanwhile, security is set to be tight around St Patrick’s this weekend when the Apprentice Boys parade takes place past the church on Saturday involving one band and up to 55 people. The band taking part has been ordered to play only hymns from the junction of Clifton Street and West Link and Donegal Street and Union Street. Nationalists residents have also been given permission to hold a protest during the parade.

With many thanks to : Connla Young, The Irish News.

Related articles
%d bloggers like this: