SF to seek restrictions on Belfast parade

A Sinn Fein delegation from north Belfast is due to meet the Parades Commission later today to ask it to re-route a contentious loyalist march away from nationalist areas.

The commission has allowed a Black Lodge parade this Sunday to pass through the predominantly Catholic Ardoyne and Millton View areas. Speaking ahead of today’s meeting, local Sinn Fein councillor Eoin O’Breen said he will ask the commission why it allowed this parade to go ahead when an Apprentice Boys march was banned from entering the same areas a few weeks ago.

Councillor O’Breen said in light of the fact that the Orange Lodge, the Black Lodge and the Apprentice Boys have all refused to engage in dialogue with nationalist residents, the parade should be banned from entering nationalist areas.

He also pointed to a sustained UDA campaign against Catholics in the area, saying the loyalist paramilitary group has been pipe-bombing and intimidating nationalists in north Belfast on an almost daily basis recently.

In addition, this Sunday’s parade goes directly past the area where residents prevented Catholic children from passing through loyalist areas on their way to a girl’s primary school earlier this year.