Pressure has mounted on the DUP following events near the village of Scarva on Saturday, after DUP MP Carla Lockhart stood with masked men, some of whom engaged in threats, intimidation and physical assaults during a loyalist mobilisation against a peaceful protest march for Gaza.

As hundreds of people took part in the solidarity march from Lurgan to Omeath, they found themselves targeted by loyalists gathered along the opposite side of the Newry Canal in County Down.

Some had prepared their hate in advance, spraying cattle excrement and urine along part of the route.

The march, organised to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide in the Middle East and to show solidarity with the Palestinian people, proceeded along the canal towpath outside the village.

But on the opposite bank, a large loyalist crowd had assembled from early morning. Many wore masks, with Israeli flags, loyalist symbols and banners supporting the British occupation.

The most significant aspect of the day was not the ultimately peaceful passage of the successful march but the reaction it provoked: hostility, sectarian chants, abuse and displays of support for the Israeli genocide.

Journalists attempting to document the scenes were threatened, assaulted and driven from parts of the area by masked loyalists.

One photographer described the day as “one of the most intimidating and hostile” experiences of his career.

“We were there to report, but a group of men in gloves and masks shouted at us to move back, which we did,” he said.

“Not long after, the same group approached and started shouting at us to leave the area, and not to take any pictures.

“I saw another member of the media being physically pushed as well as being explicitly threatened at this point.”

Another journalist present described repeated attempts by loyalists to identify, isolate and intimidate members of the press, before being called a ‘scumbag’ and told to leave.

DUP MP Carla Lockhart was photographed and filmed standing among groups of masked loyalists as abuse was directed towards participants in the Gaza march.

Images from the day showed Lockhart standing shoulder-to-shoulder and in conversation with masked men close to the canal as marchers made their way through the area.

She later sought to explain away her involvement by absurdly claiming she had been there to prevent “a bloodbath”.

Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard said footage from Scarva spoke for itself.

“People can see those events very, very clearly… a public representative who decided to stand and facilitate and to embolden those people that were standing beside her doing that,” he said.

“I think the public were rightly disgusted at the images that came from Scarva on Saturday, and they’re completely unacceptable.”

Éirígí said the images exposed the relationship between sections of political unionism and loyalist extremism.

“This is the true face of unionism - two sides of the one coin - barbaric, violent intolerance beneath a veneer of respectable officialdom,” they said.

The organisation argued that a siege mentality continued to shape unionist politics and linked political representatives with loyalist paramilitary elements.

“It is this siege mentality that joins the various strands of unreconstructed unionism together, that joins the thug of a UVF/UDA death squad to the apparently respectable unionist elected representative.”

Saoradh praised those who completed the march.

“Despite threats, hostility and intimidation along the route from sectarian bigots, particularly in the Scarva area, those participating conducted themselves in a peaceful, dignified and disciplined manner,” they said.

“Their determination to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, while refusing to be drawn into confrontation, reflected the very best traditions of principled protest.”

“Attempts by sectarian elements to intimidate marchers only served to highlight the contrast between those advocating for justice and human rights and those seeking to spread division and fear.”