DUP accuses Sinn Fein of ‘double standards’ over Para banner

A DUP councillor has accused Sinn Fein of “double standards” after one of its representatives called for a ‘Soldier F’ banner erected in a Co Down village to be removed.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Jul 2019, 19:12 BST
'Soldier F' banner in Gilford, Co Down'Soldier F' banner in Gilford, Co Down
'Soldier F' banner in Gilford, Co Down

The banner appeared in a housing development at Whinney Hill in Gilford, near Banbridge, on Wednesday.

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Sinn Fein councillor Kevin Savage has called on authorities to move in and remove the banner.

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He said it is “designed to cause hurt to the victims of Bloody Sunday and cause community division’.

Cllr Savage said: “The banner, proclaiming support for a murder suspect, is not appropriate. The victims of Bloody Sunday deserve the truth just as much as any victim of the conflict.”

He added: “The banner should be removed. Authorities should not hide behind the flags protocol which does not cover such displays.”

However DUP councillor Paul Greenfield hit back at Sinn Fein, saying: “The rhetoric used on this issue really shows their double standards and this has not been lost on the unionist community.”

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He added, “A couple of weeks ago Sinn Fein tabled a motion in our council on so-called ‘divisive banners,’ yet only a few short months before this the leader of Sinn Fein was pictured in the annual St Patrick’s Day parade in New York with a banner which read ‘England get out of Ireland’.

“This is the type of blatant hypocrisy that Sinn Fein openly promote, however the unionist community are not bluffed by this revisionism”.

Related topics:Sinn FeinDUPKevin Savage