Love Ulster parade depends on proper planning, warns chamber

GARDAÍ must not allow another planned Love Ulster parade to pass through Dublin unless it can guarantee there won’t be a repeat of the violence that cost businesses €10 million last year.

Dublin Chamber of Commerce chief executive Gina Quin said the riots in O’Connell Street had not only hit Dublin in the pocket on the day but also through a loss of reputation from an international perspective.

Willie Frazer of the South Armagh Protestant victims’ group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives, is to meet the assistant Garda commissioner this morning where he hopes to get permission from the gardaí for a parade and rally in the capital, possibly in July.

Mr Frazer said he expects thousands to turn out for the march on this occasion.

In February 2006, more than 300 protesters who opposed the Love Ulster parade clashed with gardaí, yards from where an estimated 800 marchers commemorating the victims of republican violence had gathered.

There were 14 people hospitalised as a result of the rioting, with 41 people arrested and 13 people subsequently charged with a variety of offences including endangering public safety, arson and looting.

Ms Quin said: “The last march cost businesses €10m as they were forced to close on the day. Not only did it cost them but the city council too, which had to pay €50,000 for the clean-up. Luckily businesses were able to get back on their feet for the following Monday. We want to see this disruption prevented. Businesses want proper planning around every event of this nature.”

However, in a statement Republican Sinn Féin Vice President Des Dalton said Republican Sinn Féin will publicly protest at any attempt ‘to once again impose a loyalist march on the people of Dublin’.

“Bringing such a march to Dublin is an attempt to legitimise the religious bigotry and intolerance of loyalism as well as further marginalising the nationalist people of the Six-Counties who suffer directly at the hands of loyalists.”