Loyalist flute band calls off protest march
A CONTROVERSIAL protest parade by a loyalist flute band was yesterday called off days before it was due to take place.
East Belfast band Pride of the Raven had planned to march into the city centre on Saturday morning in protest after a police officer gave the home address of the band’s secretary, George Spence, to South Belfast MLA Anna Lo.
This was because she wanted to write the letter on behalf of a constituent who was delayed by an earlier parade.
Following a face-to-face meeting with the Alliance MLA on Tuesday, the band said it had decided not to go ahead with this weekend’s protest parade.
In a statement it blamed the Parades Commission for much of the dispute, even though it was a police error that led to the address being handed out.
The band said the protest march would not go ahead: “After listening to a wide range of opinions the band has decided to withdraw the application to hold the parade.”
South Belfast DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt said calling off the parade was “in the best interests of everyone”.
He urged the PSNI and the Parades Commission to review their procedures in light of the issues raised by the saga: “The PSNI should not have given out any details of band members in the first place, particularly information contained on a sensitive 11/1 parades application form.
“This is basic common sense and I hope that the PSNI and Parades Commission will learn from their error in this regard.”
In a letter to the News Letter last month senior band member Nigel Booth described Ms Lo’s “kneejerk reaction” in writing to Mr Spence in the first place as “pathetic”.
But yesterday Mr Spence praised Ms Lo. He said she had been “down to earth” about it.
“We had a very good meeting and she is a very nice woman,” he told the News Letter.
“I would say we have formed a good friendship and I actually gave her a hug when we were leaving. We have talked to all sides and decided it wouldn’t be fair to disrupt business for the traders and everyone else.”
Last week the Parades Commission had decided only one band could parade on Saturday — not 40 bands as the organisers wanted — and banned the march from Donegall Pass.
The parade was backed publicly by the British National Party and the band had been accused of attempting to intimidate the Chinese community in Donegall Pass — a charge it denied.
In a statement released yesterday, Ms Lo said she was “encouraged” by the band’s assurances that their protest was not intended to be racist and said its decision to cancel the parade would help community relations.
Belfast Lord Mayor Jim Rodgers, who had urged the band to call off the parade, welcomed the “wise decision” which he said had come about following prolonged behind-the-scenes talks.
South Belfast SDLP councillor Pat McCarthy also welcomed the band’s decision.
The former Lord Mayor said: “Even in the reduced format imposed by the Parades Commission, this would have been a poor way to start the Christmas shopping season.
He said: “The whole rationale behind this march was dubious in the extreme, since it seemed to be based on an almost personal protest which has long since been sorted out. I am glad that common sense has prevailed.”
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Weather for Belfast
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 3 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
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Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 6 C
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