I'll be running these briefs from Northern Ireland as I receive them from Daithi McKay while I continue the Oread Daily's time out until Sept. 1. After that I will simply include them in the regular Oread Daily. Daithí is the Sinn Féin councilor on Ballymoney Borough Council - Bann Valley elected in 2005.
1. North Antrim Sinn Féin MLA, Philip McGuigan, has said that those who carried out attacks on peoples' houses and cars on Warden Street should think long and hard about the consequences of their actions.
Mr McGuigan said:
"The senseless attacks on people's property on Warden Street have left a lot of the residents here badly shaken up. Many elderly people live along this street and for so many young people to subject them to this kind of behaviour is both senseless and sickening.
"The young people who did this should reflect long and hard on the consequences of their actions."
North Antrim Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí McKay was speaking to some of the residents of Warden Street the next morning:
"The residents who witnessed this attack last night were petrified of what one resident called the 'maniacs' who wrecked cars and houses along this street.
"We have been to see the management of the Social Club who also suffered damage to their property and they are extremely shocked at what has happened. The club carries out a lot of good (mainly voluntary) work in the community and what has happened here last night is clearly a one-off occurance.
"We are greatly concerned at this random episode of violence and would urge anyone with influence over these young people to use it to stop any repeat of such attacks."
2. Sinn Féin are to report 3 PSNI members to the Police Ombudsman for harassment after their behaviour at a contentious Black Saturday parade on Saturday night. North Antrim Sinn Féin Councillor, Daithí McKay, said:
“Three members of the DMSU unit deployed outside All Saints Chapel on Saturday night approached a Catholic gentleman on Saturday night before the parade started and told him that he was being searched under the Prevention Of Terrorism Act. The man in question was doing nothing untoward and was there to make sure the ‘blood and thunder’ bands behaved themselves when passing the chapel during Mass time. The gentleman in question wanted me to observe the search to make sure that his rights were not impinged on and I had every right to do this. The PSNI members tried to move me away from the search and told me that I was not allowed to do this even though I have acted in this capacity before. Eventually they let the man go as he was entirely innocent in the first place and started harassing myself.
“When I went to record the PSNI officers numbers for the Police Ombudsman they then insisted on taking my details under the Prevention Of Terrorism Act!! When I gave my name the PSNI member responded with the comment ‘Is that a foreign name?’ which just summed up the PSNI’s attitude on the night.
“It is also worth noting that the PSNI did not act on various sectarian comments shouted by band members, some referring to the Pope, during the parade, as well as band supporters who were drinking and some of whom were obviously intoxicated in the vicinity. It is just another clear example of the PSNI’s ‘kid-gloves’ approach to loyalists in North Antrim.
“We have drawn up a two-page report which has now been forwarded to the Police Ombudsman as proof that the PSNI’s bullying approach to Nationalists and Republicans has not changed one iota.”
Ballymena Sinn Féin representative, Padraig McShane, was also present to observe proceedings on Saturday night and said that:
“The behaviour of some of those present at the Black Saturday parade was disgraceful and the Parades Commission’s Code Of Conduct was breached numerous times. I would like to ask the Royal Black Preceptory why they feel it is necessary to have bands play ‘The Sash’ and have parade followers shout sectarian obscenities outside a chapel when Mass is on?
“This kind of behaviour seems to becoming routine for Pride of the Maine band. Fresh from playing sectarian songs outside a chapel on Derry Day in Rasharkin when Mass is on, they are at it again in Ballymena. I would urge the RBP, if they have any decency, to at least change the time of this parade so that mass-goers can worship in peace. All those practising their faith in this town, whether its Protestant or Catholic, Muslim or Jew, should be allowed to do so without this unwarranted behaviour.
“We will now be drawing up a report on this parade for the Parades Commission and all evidence of breaches that we have gathered tonight will be passed on to them immediately.”
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