Threats daubed on Orange Hall
SINISTER threats have been daubed on the walls of Dunloy Orange Hall.
A number of petrol bombs were also thrown at the building in the early hours, causing scorch damage. An attempt was also made to petrol bomb the building.
In the latest in a spate of incidents, slogans naming specific individuals were discovered yesterday.
All four walls were covered in large graffiti including the slogans ‘Brits Out’, ‘IRA’ and details of specific Orangemen.
The most threatening message read: ‘No third warning, stay out,’ and was illustrated by a picture of a masked gunman.
Thomas Rock, secretary of the Dunloy Union Defenders, said: “The Orange Hall has been attacked again and again and we Orangemen as a group are under threat.
“It is ridiculous. We still meet monthly in the hall but it’s unsafe.”
James Finlay, a senior member of the Dunloy Union Defenders, who was named on the graffiti, swore that the attacks would not succeed in driving the Orangemen from the village.
“In the 56 years I have been a member of the Orange Lodge, I have seen Dunloy going from a Protestant village to nearly 100 percent nationalist”, he said.
“In the past 10 years, things have got a lot worse. But we will not leave the hall. No way.”
Local DUP MLA Mervyn Storey claimed the threat was “extremely worrying”.
“This is a veiled death threat on the members of this lodge.
“The irony in Dunloy is that there is no parade here anymore due to intimidation, yet republicans still feel that they have to attack this hall.”
DUP councillor and Master of Dunloy LOL 496 John Finlay called the attack a ‘blatant act of sectarianism’.
“Republicans in Dunloy are trying to intimidate Protestants but they will not be forced out”, he said.
Sinn Fein North Antrim MLA Daithi McKay said that the attacks needed to be condemned.
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Weather for Belfast
Thursday 09 February 2012
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