N. IRELAND: DRUMCREE STAND-OFF LATEST SITUATION (2)
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- (10 Jul 1998) English/Nat
Peace in Northern Ireland remains in crisis on Friday after British army reinforcements arrived in Drumcree to bolster forces after a six-day standoff with Protestant Orangemen and another night of violence.
British Prime Minister made an urgent appeal for calm in the province where tensions appear to be heightening by the day.
Soldiers were busy putting up fences and barricades knocked over in Thursday night's clashes with over 20-thousand demonstrators.
Military helicopters touched down in Drumcree on Friday, not far from the Anglican church where members of the Orange Order have set up camp.
Soldiers left the helicopters wearing riot gear and carrying plastic shields.
They arrived after another night of violence in which 20-thousand demonstrators clashed with riot police.
The Orangemen are angry at being denied permission to march through Portadown's largely Catholic area of Garvaghy Road.
Army soldiers are being joined by troops from the parachute regiment to bolster defences in the area, which include concrete blocks and barbed wire fencing.
The military's presence has been stepped up amid fears that more violence could erupt over the weekend.
July 12th marks the annual Protestant celebration of the victory of the Protestant King William of Orange over the Catholic King James the Second at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Tensions are mounting and there are fears that the standoff will come to a head when the celebratory march takes place on Monday.
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, urged extremists not to sabotage the peace process and to abide by the results of May's referendum.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I hope everyone remains calm and peaceful and realises that we must let this process which has been agreed by people in a referendum, agreed by people in their votes for a new assembly, be hi-jacked by extremists from any side. And that everyone understands that the rule of law of the UK has to be upheld. And that attacks on the Royal Ulster Constabulary, or security forces or any attempt to gain people's way by violence is unacceptable."
SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
With the weekend approaching, police forces rushed to clean up after Thursday's demonstration and reinforce barriers around the church.
Ditches and fences put up to keep the demonstrators in one area were all but destroyed by the crowd.
Police in riot gear stood guard with machine guns as bulldozers dug new ditches.
Around Drumcree church, cement barriers and more barbed wire fencing were put up in preparation for more troubles in the coming days.
Soldiers could be seen chatting with Orangemen over the barbed wire fences.
But the British military was out in force to contain what has already been the worst violence in Northern Ireland since political parties agreed in April on a new and promising governing assembly.
In Thursday night's demonstrations the crowd of Protestant Orange Order members and their supporters had swelled to at least 20-thousand.
Fireworks and ball bearings were thrown by the crowd, injuring five British riot policemen.
After spending the week camped out at Drumcree Anglican church, the Orangemen were joined by fellow Protestants from Belfast and elsewhere in support of their cause.
Frustrated that they have been denied permission to march through Portadown's Catholic Garvaghy Road area, the Orangemen are giving no ground in the standoff.
Demonstrators waved Union Jack flags as their numbers swelled.
Some appeared to cheer as a Red Cross ambulance appeared on the scene.
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The kkk of these islands
A show of ignorance from the loyalist community. Embarrassing looking back in this.
Drumcree hill is for fanatics to sing the sash..Heard it,wore the T-Shirt,read the book.Show me the way to go home,i'm tired and I want to go to bed..All for nothing.
Silverplains first band to cross into no mans land
Lol, everybody must make a living in any situation, they even had the burger vans on site, fuck I bet they sold out, lol,!
Not on a friday. Those Garvaghy Road ones dont eat beef on a friday, apparently...
It looks like a reenactment from their side, drumming marching with flags, very embarrassing lol
No Surrender 🇬🇧
You are not part of GB. Suck it up clown.
Wee drummer boys playing at soldiers.
LOL!
andrew brand sectrian orange bastards dats wat yous ar druggie scum bags lol and d rat Billy wright is burning in hell lol🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
Wee r the people
Drumcree was required, it sent a message to the Republican movement, Irish and British governments that Ulster's Protestants wouldn't take attacks on their culture any longer. Standing firm at Drumcree put an end to parades disputes in dozens of other towns across NI.
That not how it looked to outside world it looked like Orange sectarian triumphalist rioting because they couldn’t run it into Roman Catholic faces
Culture is not your friend
All our cultures will be wiped out Simon if a grip is not got on the mass immigration that’s happening in Uk and Ireland today . We will all be pushed out .
Yet they still try to march when banned like Garvaghy Road. Even after the deaths of 3 little boys Jason, Mark and Richard Quinn -- petrol bombed in their own home -- they refused and rioted for a week.
It’s this pig headedness I have issue with. After all that violence they got their way and we’re allowed to march. But that’s how it goes for catholics - always put second.
They could march around the catholic areas and march in their own areas but won’t even after they’ve been banned.
Just like the bonfires. Burned as close to catholic houses as they can get. Like the KKK burning a cross where black people live.
Some culture.
Are culture
Oh the Prods will crawl over glass and barbed wire to get another March. March, March, March. Marching about March's have a March so we are allowed to march . Pishing myself laughing