Residents to stage protest against parade
Residents to stage protest against parade
Daily Ireland
Nationalist residents of the Duncairn Gardens area of north Belfast are to stage a protest against a controversial loyalist parade set to pass through the area.
Hundreds of Orangemen taking part in the Tour of the North event, will march past Catholic homes on Friday evening.
Earlier this week the Parades Commission cancelled a meeting with locals at which they were to register opposition to the march.
Duncairn resident Gerry O’Reilly said the community had been treated badly by the commission.
“When the commission was originally considering the route of the march it was working off old maps that do not contain much of the new nationalist homes,” he said.
“A number of Orange parades pass by this area each year but avoid going directly along Duncairn Gardens. Why do organisers of the Tour of the North insist on coming this way when there are alternative routes?”
Mr O’Reilly said nationalist homes on Duncairn Gardens had been wrecked in the past by Orangemen.
“People are frightened this could happen again,” he added.
“There have been nine nights of trouble in this area recently. This makes the Parades Commission decision even more unbelievable.
“At the minute, we are calling for calm and also urging those with influence in the community to ease tension.”
