Orangeman under fire over Drumcree speech

A veteran loyalist was under fire today for urging the RUC to stand up for ‘‘their own Protestant people’’ in the Drumcree parade dispute.

Chief Superintendent Cyril Donnan accused Orange Order district master Harold Gracey of using language ‘‘bordering on the inflammatory’’ during a speech on Saturday.

Mr Donnan insisted his officers in Portadown, Co Armagh, would continue to do their duty and uphold decisions by the Parades Commission, despite Mr Gracey’s comments.

‘‘The young men and women from this community are serving all sections of the community without fear or favour and do so in a professional manner,’’ he said.

There were minor scuffles at Saturday’s Orange commemoration marking 1,000 days of the siege of Drumcree, Portadown, where the loyal order is barred by the Commission from finishing a parade through the predominantly nationalist Garvaghy Road.

Mr Gracey addressed the 300-strong crowd and today Mr Donnan said: ‘‘What would give us concern were the comments by the District Master Harold Gracey which are bordering on the inflammatory.

‘‘We want to assure the people of Portadown, and further afield, that they will not deflect my officers from doing their duty. That duty on Saturday was to uphold the determination of the Parades Commission.’’

Mr Gracey told the crowd that RUC officers should search their consciences about upholding bans on Orange marches.

In a direct call to them, he added: ‘‘We know where you come from. You come from the Protestant community, the vast majority of you come from the Protestant community and it is high time that you supported your own Protestant people.’’

Mr Donnan told BBC Radio Ulster: ‘‘It’s a question of serving all the community. In the context of Drumcree, what we’re doing is enforcing the determination of the Parades Commission and we will continue to do that.’’

An RUC constable, Frank O’Reilly, was murdered in 1998 in loyalist disturbances in the town associated with the Drumcree dispute.

Mr Donnan added: ‘‘People in leadership need to be very, very careful about what they’re saying in terms of inflaming passion and emotion in the community.’’

Mark Neale, deputy mayor of Craigavon, the borough which encompasses Portadown, said Mr Gracey’s words were ‘‘ill-judged’’.

‘‘You have comments here from an elderly man who is very frustrated at the situation he has found himself in,’’ said Mr Neale, a member of David Trimble’s Ulster Unionist Party.

‘‘He is not a politician and has in the past chosen his words ill-advisedly. I think that’s been done again this time.’’