Once again the lavishly funded West Belfast Festival descends into IRA chants glorifying 'murdering Provos', says Jim Allister

Footage that is being widely shared online on Sunday night shows the crowd joining in a chorus of the IRA chant 'Tiocfaidh ár lá' and 'Ooh ah up the Ra' at a support act to the Wolf Tones concert at Falls Park as part of Féile an Phobail.

The TUV leader Jim Allister KC MLA said: “Once more the West Belfast Festival degenerated into a Terror Fest with its ‘Up the Ra’ finale.

The fact that shamefully the Charity Commission failed to act against such glorification of terror under the auspices of an organisation it continues to accept as a bona fide charity, guaranteed this deliberate insult to IRA victims.

“When the Charity Commission by its inaction sanctions such, rest assured there will be plenty of IRA acolytes ready to pay homage to the murdering Provos as a new generation is indoctrinated into the bloodthirsty cult of worshipping at the shrine of IRA terror.

The fact that this festival continues to be lavishly funded from the public purse adds to the hurt and insult endured by the victims of terrorism.”

The DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly tweeted: “A final weekend drenched in squalid, vile sectarianism. Divisive, hurtful, with glorifying of terrorism.

This isn't progress- it is the shame of Belfast. There must, must be those who support the festival who are embarrassed by this cringe sectarian ending every year? #Féile”