Let wise heads always prevail, East Londonderry UUP urges community
Mr Robert Carmichael, the East Londonderry Ulster Unionist Party Association Chairman, has called on the entire constituency to “let wise heads always prevail on the immigration issue and not let the community witness the horrific rioting which has hit other areas of the Province”.
Speaking on behalf of the UUP association, Mr Carmichael reiterated the message from UUP leader Jon Burrows that any type of violent activity could not be justified and should be condemned outright.
Mr Carmichael added: “Whilst we recognise the right of people in any democratic society to organise peaceful protests no matter how contentious the issues, we in the UUP equally urge those people either organising or participating in such protests not to get sucked into any cycle of violence.
“There is the real danger that misconceptions, perceptions and false information fuelled by social media could lead to people either taking actions or using language which could easily land them before the courts. We in the UUP urge everyone in East Londonderry to think very carefully before getting involved in any potential street activity or use inflammatory rhetoric which could result in them ending up with a criminal record.
“At the same time, we recognise that there are legitimate concerns in the community over illegal immigration, but it is up to elected representatives, community groups, the Christian churches and especially the police to work in partnership to provide lasting solutions to these issues.
“We in the UUP also recognise the tremendous contribution which people from the ethnic communities in our constituency have made to the social, cultural and economic life of East Londonderry, and especially in their valuable roles in the National Health Service.
“East Londonderry has such great potential, particularly in the areas of tourism and sport, especially when we take the crowds which flock to the North West 200 and the various football and golf tournaments.
“As a community, we must work together to ensure that the terrible scenes which have blighted other areas of Northern Ireland are never repeated in East Londonderry,” said Mr Carmichael on behalf of the UUP association.