Parades Commission – Page 2 – Slugger O'Toole

Micheál Martin “there is a grave danger that policing in the North will be compromised because of this activity”

Mick Fealty on May 17, 2013, 5:09 pm

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I’ve alluded to this in a post earlier in the week, but the Oireachtas record gives Deputy Gerry Adams a voice not captured on the Dail video. The exchange between himself and the leader of Fianna Fail is very instructive, not least as we face into another summer of discontent… The relevant section begins with Mr Martin making a point he’s made before, only because of his interventions more forcefully and directly to one of the political parties he clearly …

“Simply because if you fill in a form you could get charged with an offence”

Mick Fealty on February 22, 2013, 12:45 pm

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So, Mervyn Gibson rocked the boat on The View last night, when he noted the Orange may, after taking legal advice, choose not to notify the Parades Commission… Why? because one of the outcomes of the recent flag protest is a new ‘understanding’ that if you don’t notify the Parades Commission, there is nothing they can do. In other words, everything returns to the status quo ante; minus any form of prior notification being required by police or parades commission. …

Orange Order: No one will have veto over our Ulster Covenant parade

John Ó Néill on September 21, 2012, 11:30 am

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“No one will have a veto over our Ulster Covenant parade”, says Mervyn Gibson, county grand chaplain of the Orange Order in Belfast (as reported in the Tele): Mr Gibson said that the organisation had consulted with clergy and parishioners from St Patrick’s but that it did not feel compelled to consult with residents regarding the parade. “The reason we are not speaking to residents at this stage is that the issue was respect for St Patrick’s Church,” he added. “That was …

Was Sunday’s loyalist riot in north Belfast an attempt to ‘regulate by riot’?

Mick Fealty on September 3, 2012, 3:41 pm

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So there was riot in north Belfast. What’s new? Well, what’s new is that for the first time in a number of years it was initiated by Loyalists against a Republican parade. In recent years, the traffic has been more or less one way in the opposite direction. And it seems to have been pretty pre meditated. At 2pm yesterday a crowd of several hundred were seen gathering at the flash point some of them wearing scarves and balaclavas. Not …

Orders find solution to #Twelfth restrictions at #Ardoyne

John Ó Néill on July 12, 2012, 2:11 pm

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The optics of this are pretty ridiculous. The BBC are reporting the solution to the restriction on passing Ardoyne by 4 pm as: Members of three Orange lodges will be ferried across Belfast by bus to meet a 16:00 BST deadline for passing the flashpoint Catholic area of Ardoyne. Orangemen say it’s a peaceful solution to allow them to complete their return parade from the main celebrations to their Orange halls in north Belfast. Details have not yet been announced …

Platform proceedings: the Orders in their own words

John Ó Néill on July 11, 2012, 11:57 am

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With the County Grand Lodge considering a judicial review of the Parades Commission ruling, a spokesman for the County Grand Lodge of Belfast has said: In addition to the normal denials of rights and freedoms that the Parades Commission regularly impose, this impossible demand would deny these brethren the opportunity to attend the platform proceedings, including the religious service at Barnett Demesne… A recurring contradiction in the Orders’ position is in selectively citing examples of quiet country parades while demanding …

“They are conversations – they are not negotiations, they are not mediation…”

Pete Baker on April 20, 2012, 5:03 pm

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With the draconian approach of the elected representatives in Sinn Féin and the DUP abandoned, and long-forgotten, the extant Parades Commission have appointed a trio of intermediaries to have ‘conversations’ with unidentified others in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast. From the BBC report Lord Alderdice is involved in the initiative, along with the Holy Cross priest Father Gary Donegan and the former Presbyterian Moderator, the Reverend Norman Hamilton. He admits there is no guarantee of success. Dr Hamilton said: “The Parades …

Row between Parades Commission and LOL District No. 6

Turgon on August 21, 2011, 2:24 pm

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During last week the ongoing row between the Parades Commission and the Orange Order came up again. In April Rev. Mervyn Gibson, minister of Westbourne Community Presbyterian Church and Orange Order’s District Number 6 Chaplain complained when the Parades Commission specified that only one hymn “Abide with Me” be played whilst bands marched passed St. Mark’s Catholic Church on the Lower Newtownards Road. Mr. Gibson stated: “It breaches our religious liberties. They have banned the playing of Christian hymns in …

… a very uninviting place for Bible believers

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 26, 2011, 9:53 pm

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You may be surprised that the Rev David McIlveen (Sandown Free Presbyterian church) wasn’t referring to Belfast Pride when he spoke the words in this post’s title, but was instead referring to an institution of the state whose membership includes a Presbyterian minister (who is also free – though in the retired sense). While this morning’s Irish News carried the story of Jim Well’s ‘repugnant’ text, the News Letter confirmed what I half expected when I posted last Wednesday: This …

No Free Presbyterian protest lodged against Belfast Pride Parade this year

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 20, 2011, 4:07 pm

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Now in its 21st year after its first “run through the city centre” Belfast Pride has a week of activities (and a growing set of events on the fringe) surrounding the Saturday afternoon parade through Belfast city centre. This year only one group has registered a protest with the Parades Commission. So unless the normal protest from Sandown Free Presbyterian has merged in with the Stop the Parade Coalition, they must be staying at home on the afternoon of Saturday …

“We don’t approve of young children engaging in this type of activity…”

Pete Baker on March 30, 2011, 8:43 pm

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The Belfast Telegraph has an update from the Ti Chulainn Cultural Centre in Mullaghbawn, south Armagh – where children, some of primary school age, were photographed in October wearing balaclavas, combat jackets and trousers, dark glasses and berets, and brandishing replica weapons including AK47s and Armalites. From the Belfast Telegraph update The Ti Chulainn centre in south Armagh has said that children dressed up as paramilitaries armed with replica weapons on its premises hadn’t “been part of an organised event” in the …

“Until such time as locally owned arrangements can be found…”

Pete Baker on December 20, 2010, 2:08 pm

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Following the shelving of the Sinn Féin/DUP drafted Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill, Northern Ireland Minister of State, Hugo Swire, announced “the launch of an open competition for appointment to the posts of chairman and members of the Parades Commission.” Today, as the BBC reports, Owen Paterson revealed the outcome of that competition. From the NI Secretary of State’s statement Secretary of State Owen Paterson MP today announced the appointment of Peter Osborne as Chair of the Parades Commission …

“The role of the Parades Commission remains extremely important and challenging…”

Pete Baker on October 11, 2010, 3:32 pm

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As the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, said, “It is absolutely not an option to leave a [Parades Commission] hole.” And, following the shelving of the Sinn Féin/DUP drafted Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill, today the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Hugo Swire, announced “the launch of an open competition for appointment to the posts of chairman and members of the Parades Commission.” [Hugo Swire] said: “Regrettably in the absence of a local solution to a new framework …

OFMDFM abandon Draft Public Assemblies Bill?

Pete Baker on September 27, 2010, 6:34 pm

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The BBC report follows the lead given by the Northern Ireland First Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, in blaming the Orange Order’s rejection of the proposals for the withdrawal of the draft Bill on Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests. But abandoning that Bill conveniently avoids the First and deputy First Ministers having to fulfill their commitment to deliver in legislation the agreed outcomes of that working group – and their special advisers… The legislation they proposed was, after all, “built on ignorance of the law, plain stupidity, arrogance, …

Owen Paterson: “It is absolutely not an option to leave a [Parades Commission] hole.”

Pete Baker on September 8, 2010, 1:45 pm

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With the future of the DUP/Sinn Féin drafted Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill currently uncertain the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, has told Parliament’s Northern Ireland Affairs Committee that if no new legislation was produced by the NI Assembly he will “reappoint a Parades Commission by January next year”. The draft Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill has already been consulted on and is due to go through the Northern Ireland Assembly this autumn. It was drawn up following the report …

Can’t march? Er…can – M’kay

Blank on August 21, 2010, 7:09 pm

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Updated at 23:57 Last night’s band parade in Rasharkin was rerouted after a lengthy delay caused by a bomb scare. Daithi McKay seems to think this amounts to an illegal parade as the new time and route did not have Parades Commission approval and suggests this will end up in court: Parades Commission did not permit route that PSNI put the parade down. There was also no application for a parade on 21st August.. …ie when bands marched past midnight. …

Republican protest doesn’t need or seek permission

Blank on July 25, 2010, 9:55 pm

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This afternoon saw a large enough gathering of republicans in Lurgan (500+ seems a reasonable estimate). For those attending their intention was to demonstrate support for republican prisoners and protest against the conditions/regime they face in gaol. It also exposed an entirely different issue, a problem that could present an increasing challenge to the Parades Commission, PSNI, Stormont Justice Minister and the Assembly as a whole. The first large scale republican challenge to state structures on parading came with éirígí’s …

Date and venue set for round 2

Aldous Duke on July 22, 2010, 11:28 pm

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Greater Ardoyne Resident’s Collective (GARC) spokesman Mairtin Og Meehan has confirmed the group’s intention to stage a protest at the Apprentice Boy’s parade past Ardoyne on August 14, reports the newsletter. ABOD Ligoniel Walker Club have sought permission for a parade with one band and up to 90 participants, with August 4 the date set for the Parades Commission’s consideration of the application. Meehan said if the “socially detached and discredited Parades Commission” allow the Apprentice Boys to march past …