NI Conservatives' co-chairman, Irwin Armstrong, has urged people across Northern Ireland to take “a step back this weekend”, as two controversial republican parades and other events to mark the anniversary of internment are due to take place.
“We have been calling for Sinn Féin to cancel its parade in Castlederg and we echo the Secretary of State’s latest appeal that such a grossly insensitive march should not go ahead”, Irwin said. “Any event which glorifies illegal violence is completely unacceptable, all the more so when it takes place in a town which suffered so grievously from the effects of terrorism.”
“The so called ‘anti-internment’ march scheduled to take place tonight in Belfast is also a shameful event, organised by groups with connections to people who are still trying to bring murder to the streets of Northern Ireland. Equally, the parade which takes place in Coleraine in October to commemorate UVF bombers, whose intentions were to kill and maim, is completely disgraceful.”
“All these events should remind us just how important it is that we don’t allow the supporters of politically motivated violence, current or past, to go unchallenged. It is a vile slander for organisers to imply that celebrating groups which caused widespread murder, mayhem and misery, represents any community’s culture in Northern Ireland. We should always remember that a vast, vast majority, unionist, nationalist or neither, opposed violence.”
“If the people organising these offensive events refuse to see sense, we would urge anyone who chooses to protest to do so in a fashion which is peaceful, dignified and respectful to the memory of victims of terror groups. We must respond by concentrating even harder on building a hopeful future for Northern Ireland, together. It is absolutely vital that the efforts of the peaceful majority are not derailed.”