Inaction again as paramilitary flags are raised

The sectarian intimidation of nationalists ahead of the Protestant marching season has raised fears of confrontations and violence.

Hundreds of loyalist and paramilitary flags have been erected across the north, including mixed and interface areas, ahead of marches by the anti-Catholic Orange Order.

Amid tensions, an imitation gun was waved at passers-by by a man at a flagpole bearing sectarian flags in Whitehead, County Antrim.

Flags of the UDA loyalist paramilitary group have appeared overnight in south Belfast, in the Tate’s avenue and the Glenmachan Street area of Belfast.

The Good Friday Agreement promised an end to sectarian intimidation, but more than a quarter of a century later, neither the police nor the local or Six County government bodies are willing to act against public displays of loyalist paramilitarism.

The flying of UDA flags again this year has been slammed as a “failure of leadership” by the Executive.

The SDLP’s Claire Hanna said the UDA was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people during the conflict.

“There’s no place for organised crime gang emblems anywhere in 2024, let alone flying along main thoroughfares,” she said.

Ms Hanna criticised the failure of the Executive to act on recommendations made in the report by the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition, which was published in 2021.

On paramilitary flags, the report said they have “no place within the arena of legitimate cultural expression”.

“It is an acute failure of leadership that the Executive have not implemented the recommendations of the FICT report, which was fairly arrived at with engagement with all legitimate stakeholders,” Ms Hanna said.

A spokesperson for the relevant Stormont government department – headed by Sinn Féin minister John O’Dowd – said the display was “a criminal offence that may be capable of investigation by the PSNI”.

Meanwhile the husband of Claire Hanna has reveals details of confrontation with a loyalist gang as they pulled down election posters, possibly to use on an ‘Eleventh Night’ bonfire ahead of the largest Protestant marches.

Donal Lyons, himself an SDLP councillor, described a scary late evening confrontation with a gang of loyalist youths, who at one point shouted that all “taigs” should be “crucified”.

He came across the gang after being called by a constituent and told the posters were being pulled down in the Rosetta area of south Belfast.

“I think it’s desperately sad to see young people inherit the old prejudices. We’ve seen no significant progress by Stormont to move us beyond sectarianism,” said Mr Lyons. “Much of the good work that does go on is in spite of the Executive and not because of it.”

Urgent Appeal