'Vehicle driven at speed' towards marchers in church service parade claims Orange Order - PSNI investigating

The PSNI said enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

It allegedly happened in the rural north of the county, during a procession involving one band (Queen Elizabeth Pipe Band), and totalling about 60 participants, according to the 11/1 form lodged with the Parades Commission.

It took place mid-afternoon starting on Polly's Brae Road and going to Largy Presbyterian Church via Drumrane Road.

The parade actually took place on Sunday, June 25, but the incident has only now come to light because an account of it appeared in this month’s Orange Standard magazine.

Here is what the magazine says took place:

“On Sunday, 25th June, whilst parading to their annual Church Service, the brethren of Largy LOL 988 and their accompanying band and visitors were forced to scatter when a vehicle was driven at speed towards them.

"The vehicle failed to obey the warnings of the district marshals to slow down and one bandsman was slightly injured as a result of the incident.

"Local police were in attendance to take statements from those involved and bodycam footage of the incident has been supplied to the PSNI.

"This incident is the latest attempt to at best, intimidate our members, and at worst, to cause serious injury.

“Grand Lodge Officers have raised this issue with the PSNI leadership and have asked that behaviour of this nature be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted as a hate crime.

“Intimidation of our members continues to take many forms – be that the vandalism or destruction of our halls to verbally abusing members on parade.

"The message needs to go out that such harassment and behaviour is wrong, has no place in our society and will not be tolerated by the police or prosecution service.”

The PSNI said: “Police received a report of a single-vehicle collision involving a pedestrian in the Drumane Road area of Limavady on Sunday, June 25th.

"There were no injuries reported and enquires are continuing.”

• PSNI INVESTIGATE SEPARATE ‘HATE CRIME’ •

The same article also adds that at a march on Sunday June 11, members of Trory LOL 647 (part of Co Fermanagh Grand Lodge) marching near Enniskillen were subjected to “pro-IRA chants” from the occupant or occupants of a car which “followed the parade”.

The article quoted a county lodge spokesman as saying: “This was a parade to a religious service. It was dignified and respectful, led by Trory Accordion Band which includes a number of young members in its ranks.

“The behaviour by those in the car only serves to highlight that there are some within our community who simply cannot tolerate or respect the rights and views of others.”

The PSNI said: "On Sunday, June 11th, police received a report that a church parade had been subjected to verbal abuse by the driver of a passing vehicle in the Trory area.

"Enquiries are continuing and at this time, this is being treated as a sectarian-motivated hate crime.

“We would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us on 101.”

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