Orange Order chief Mervyn Gibson refuses to rule out NI Protocol civil disobedience at this year's Twelfth celebrations

The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev. Mervyn Gibson, has refused to rule out the use of "civil disobedience" as a response to the Northern Ireland Protocol during this year's Twelfth celebrations
Andrew Quinn
By Andrew Quinn
Published 18th May 2021, 13:35 BST
Updated 18th May 2021, 13:39 BST
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Rev. Gibson made the remark during an interview on BBC Radio Ulster's TalkBack programme on Tuesday afternoon.

"I think this year's Twelfth will be about celebrating the Twelfth of July like it always is.

"Will there be undertones of other things?

Rev. Mervyn Gibson, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.Rev. Mervyn Gibson, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
Rev. Mervyn Gibson, Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.
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"There will be undertones of celebrating the centenary of Northern Ireland and rejoicing that," said Rev. Gibson.

"Will there be undertones of the protocol? Of course there will but there will be a time and place for those things," he added.

TalkBack host and broadcaster, William Crawley, interrupted Rev. Gibson to ask if this year's Twelfth celebrations could see "civil disobedience" being used as a way to resist the Northern Ireland.

"Let's see where we are by then.

"I am not coming on here saying 'oh, we are going to be doing civil disobedience and all that'.

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"I can see protests against the protocol increasing - as Covid restrictions are lifted I think more and more people will join those protests."

The Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit withdrawal agreement, has been fundamentally rejected by all of unionism in Northern Ireland.

Some leading unionists want the protocol completely removed.

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Related topics:Mervyn GibsonNorthern IrelandProtocolNI Protocol

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