Human rights chief to witness school protests

A human rights chief was set to accompany Catholic parents and children on the disputed school walk in north Belfast today as loyalists faced the threat of legal action in a bid to force them to end their protests.

Bryce Dickson, head of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, was to go to the area to examine the situation for himself, his spokesperson confirmed.

His commission has already discussed the street demonstrations against the Holy Cross Primary School children and their parents.

There have been several failed attempts to try to get residents of the loyalist Glenbryn and parents from the neighbouring republican Ardoyne to negotiate some sort of settlement.

A number of children have left the school because of the protests, now into their sixth week.

School governors warned they may go to the High Court.

Fr Aidan Troy, the board chairman, has confirmed talks with legal representatives.

He said: ‘‘We are seeing 220 children being physically, emotionally and spiritually abused. That is not good enough. I am watching them deteriorating before my eyes. How much more can these children take? The longer it goes on, the more horrible it becomes.

‘‘We have tried dialogue and mediation and nothing seems to be working. I am now wondering if there is a procedure in law to find some way in which we can create a breathing space in order to get the children through without further abuse.’’