Parades Commission refuses to say how Scarva parade passed five tests - residents defend Carla Lockhart MP
The Parades Commission has refused to explain how a controversial parade passed five tests laid down in legislation - after Scarva residents claimed it had failed every single one.
Last June the first 'Great March for Gaza', organised by the Lurgan branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), caused chaos as it walked along the edge of the Co Down village.
Men with Palestinian flags ran down the main street chased by dozens of riot police, with arrests following.
This year the parade was once again approved, causing anger among elected representatives.
On Saturday the village was flooded with riot police to keep the parade and protestors apart.
However residents now claim the parade clearly did not pass the five tests laid down in the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 – and should never have been passed;-
1. The risk of public disorder or damage to property
2. Disruption to the life of the community
3. Impact on relationships within the community
4. Compliance with the Code of Conduct and good behaviour on previous occasions
5. Whether a parade has customary route in the area
In addition, the Parades Commission says it considers:
• The rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.
• The rights of residents and others affected by the parade.
• The extent to which parade organisers engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve concerns.
Leonard Anderson, Secretary of Scarva & District Community Association for 28 years, said the parade fared "very poorly" in relation to the five tests.
"It didn't pass," he said. "Everybody on the ground had a fair idea that it wouldn't. The Parades Commission should have know that from all the representations."
At least one village business suffered an "enormous" loss of money on Saturday and Protestant and Catholic residents were "fearful" about the impact on community relations, he said.
He said the parade waved flags as it passed by - in breach of the commission determination.
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has been widely condemned for standing near protestors wearing masks, he noted.
"But instead of being denigrated, she should have been applauded." A large volume of riot police moved in to confront several hundred protestors, he said. "But Carla managed to defuse the situation," he said.
Video footage published by the DUP today showed dozens of riot police sprinting towards protestors when Ms Lockhart stops them. A further clip shows her getting committment from protestors to remain peaceful.
Leonard has no idea who the ‘Scarva Concerned Residents’ were who organised the official protest.
"Actually, we don't know who they are," he said. "I didn't recognize many people at all in the village on Saturday".
The News Letter asked the commission to explain how the parade could have passed each of the five tests, but it declined to do so.
A spokesman said its determination was issued "after detailed consideration of all relevant information" and was based on the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, Human Rights legislation and the Commission’s Code of Conduct, Rules of Procedure and Guidelines.
The News Letter asked the commission if it would meet the News Letter this week to explain how the parade passed the five tests.
A spokesperson replied: "It is not the policy of the Commission to provide briefings or media interviews."
In response the News Letter asked who brought this policy in and when, as this paper has had repeated briefings and interviews from the commission in the past.
Sinn Fein South Down MP Chris Hazzard said from video footage and photographs of events in Scarva, people “can see very clearly the actions of Carla on the day – a public representative front and centre of masked men in 2026”.
He said crowds could be heard “intimidating, shouting vile, racist, sectarian abuse at families who were walking to raise awareness of genocide, and to raise funds for children that were dying in Gaza”.