Unionists welcome High Court decision on Belfast City Council flying Palestinian flag
Unionists have welcomed a court's decision which partially upheld objections to Belfast City Hall flying the Palestinian flag.
A legal challenge to Belfast City Council over its proposed new Irish language policy was yesterday dismissed by Belfast High Court.
TUV member Ann McClure brought proceedings after councillors approved a draft Irish language policy in October.
The High Court judge found “procedural confusion” around the council's decision in December to fly the Palestinian flag above city hall and the applicant's complaint regarding that decision was partially upheld.
Following the judgment, Ms McClure declared the ruling on the Palestinian flag voting procedure was a victory for unionism.
She also confirmed plans to appeal the findings reached on the wider call-in process, claiming they were inconsistent with the law.
“If the court is correct, then minority protections have no meaningful effect. This cannot be correct,” she said.
DUP group leader on Belfast City Council, councillor Sarah Bunting, said her party was clear in December last year that the decision to fly the Palestinian flag was “a scandalous abuse of process”.
She added: “The High Court ruling today is a vindication of that stance and a reminder of how some parties on Belfast City Council seem to believe that the rules shouldn’t apply to them.”
A TUV spokesman welcomed the court judgment on the Palestinian flag, stating that in his view, it means that such an action cannot now be lawfully repeated.