Loyalists urged to rethink parade condemned as effort to 'glamorise those involved in terrorism'

SEFF said the ‘East Belfast Battalion Memorial Parade,’ which is due to take place in east Belfast next Saturday (17th), perpetuates “romanticised nonsense” about the horrors of violent conflict in Northern Ireland.

Robert ‘Squeak’ Seymour was shot dead by the IRA outside his shop on Belfast’s Woodstock Road on June 15, 1988.

Posting a message from the event organisers on its own Facebook page, the East Belfast ACT Initiative said the band parade will begin on My Lady’s Road and make its way to the Belvoir Bar on the Newtownards Road.

SEFF online response stated: “Public memorialisation of those involved in terror/violence needs re-assessed.“We're clear that any effort to glamorise those who were involved in terrorism is wrong and unjustifiable.

“We also reiterate our position that we take no glee in the death of anyone, inc Robert Seymour but we do mourn how he and others chose to live.“We also acknowledge he has a wider family who will continue to grieve.”

The SEFF statement goes on to describe Seymour as being “portrayed by some as a folklore legend” because he was convicted of the 1981 murder of an IRA member in west Belfast (subsequently overturned on appeal).

"Aside from this crime, what other crimes were committed over his time as a UVF member?” SEFF said.

“Rather it is those who showed restraint from right across our community who are the real heroes and legends, who despite being subjected to injustice to searing hurts refused to avenge those experiences, who would not bring horror to further homes.”The victims’ group spokesperson adds: “There is no absolute right to remember dead terrorists in whatever way people decide.

"There needs to be a set of standards in all of this or we are going to face a very difficult future with young people being propagated romanticised nonsense and shielded from the horrors and ugliness of political ideologies when taken to their extreme.”