Police to blame for loyalist violence, says Orange Order

THE Orange Order yesterday blamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for fomenting last weekend’s widespread violence as Justice Minister Michael McDowell made his strongest condemnation of loyalist paramilitaries.

Orange Order Grand Master Robert Salter yesterday refused to accept that any members of his organisation orchestrated, or were involved in, the violence. Instead he blamed the PSNI for adopting an aggressive and arrogant approach. He also claimed that Orangemen captured on video participating in violent clashes were merely protecting themselves from the police.

He further alleged that the police had shown a lack of respect to marchers on the Whiterock parade.

Clashes during the parade became the catalyst for a weekend of widespread rioting and violence in Belfast and other areas of Northern Ireland.

The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Sir Reg Empey, refused to point the finger at either the police or the Orange Order, and instead said that everybody should accept responsibility for last weekend’s violence.

Mr Empey, who held a number of meetings with political parties in Dublin, said that a radical review of the Parades Commission was needed.

Mr McDowell, who met the UUP delegation, condemned the violence in strong terms and expressed his strong support for the assessment of PSNI chief constable Sir Huge Order.

He denied that he was adopting a softer line when reproaching unionists than he has in his frequent condemnation of republican violence and activities.

“I have strongly condemned it. I think it’s disastrous. It’s part of a sectarian process that is going on in Northern Ireland.

“Part of the motivation is Ulster loyalist paramilitaries using an anti-nationalist rhetoric as a smokescreen to cover the fact that they are engaged in thuggery, violence, murder, drug-smuggling, prostitution, racketeering and the like and to take the spotlight off themselves.

“I condemn it in the strongest possible way,” he said.

Sinn Féin and the SDLP both blamed the Orange Order for the violence.

SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell described as “hypocrisy” the stance of unionists and Orange leaders in recent days.