School standoff enters second month

Loyalists today began another week of protests outside the Holy Cross school in north Belfast amid warnings that pupils could be damaged permanently.

As the daily standoff at Holy Cross Primary School entered its second month, parish priest Fr Aidan Troy urged political leaders to step up their efforts to end the ‘‘immoral’’ situation.

The chairman of the school’s board of governors said: ‘‘Their well-being is under threat and damage is being done that may be difficult to remedy.

‘‘Counselling support put in place by the school is tackling this.’’

Riot police have mounted a daily escort for parents and girls aged as young as four from the nationalist lower Ardoyne past Protestant residents from the loyalist Glenbryn enclave.

Following blast bomb attacks on RUC lines during early violent clashes, protesters have since staged silent vigils every day as the children walk past. A barrage of whistles and fog-horns are then directed at parents as they return to their district.

Fr Troy did not deny loyalist residents angered at what they regard as efforts to force them out of the area had a right to feel aggrieved.

But he insisted: ‘‘This must not, however, disguise the immorality and appalling danger to 220 pupils as they are daily subjected to fear and intimidation.’’

The priest said several parents have removed their children from Holy Cross because they could not take any more.

The terrifying ordeal must not be accepted by those with any influence, Fr Troy insisted.

He added: ‘‘Public recognition by some politicians of the awfulness of this situation is to be welcomed.

‘‘The silence of others must be questioned and challenged.’’