NI Conservatives’ co-chair, Trevor Ringland, has described a call from a senior Belfast Orangeman to ‘upscale’ protests against the banning of a parade in north Belfast as ‘irresponsible’. William Mawhinney told a crowd in the Woodvale Road on Saturday that protesters would go as far as ‘civil disobedience, if that’s what it takes’.
“Really, at a time when traders and the law abiding majority in Belfast are crying out for calm on the streets, this type of rhetoric is unhelpful”, Trevor stated. “In fact, Mr Mawhinney is playing into the hands of Republicans and Sinn Féin with his statement. I would urge the Orange Order to say something publicly to distance itself from the County Grand Secretary’s comments.”
“The situation in north Belfast is difficult, but it is not unsolvable. There are all sorts of problems around parading and other issues, which will clearly take some time to resolve. It’s a time for everyone who is involved to show cool heads and do everything possible to prevent further tensions or disorder on Northern Ireland’s streets.”
“For its part, the Orange Order must make every effort to act responsibly and to distance itself from any connection to paramilitaries in Belfast. Many of its members served bravely in the various security forces to prevent paramilitary organisations from murdering more people than they actually did. The Order, at its best, can be a source of leadership in the community and Mr Mawhinney’s comments undermine that potential.”