The Orangemen set out to be provocative, to insult and degrade another section of the population (as well as to keep 'their own people' under control by making sure that Protestants continue to line up behind their unionist bosses). In previous years, for example, chants of "five-nil" have gone up as Orangemen passed the Sean Graham Bookies shop where five Catholics where mown down in a vicious sectarian attack by the UFF.
Earlier in the year a survey by Coopers and Lybrand showed that 94% of Garvaghy residents opposed the Orange march passing through their area.More Facts
Catholics forced out of their homes, the flames of bigotry fanned by 'anti-Popery' speeches, roads blocked and Sectarian tunes played by Orangemen supporters. And let’s not forget the killings of 3 boys and many others in support of the Drumcree Standoff.
Then there was 'the fair hand of the law'. A police force with two decades experience in blocking access to republican funerals seemingly couldn't prevent thousands of Orangemen coming and going from around Drumcree church. The same force had no problem in battening and battering the residents of the Garvaghy Road.
The same force had no problem placing the lower Ormeau Road in Belfast under total curfew for 26 hours. The same force - ably backed by her majesty's armed forces - had no problem discharging 6002 plastic bullets from Sunday July 7th to Monday morning July 15th (Irish Times 16/07/96), the huge majority of which were fired in nationalist areas!
In residential areas where marches are both clearly unwelcome and deliberately provocative and insulting, we uphold the right of local people to oppose their passage. Of course there is absolutely no point in calling on the British government or the RUC to ban such marches.
The RUC have been heavily criticised for their use of 'brutal force' on the Garvaghy Road in July
Injuries Garvaghy Road residents were caused by the RUC while removing residents protesting against an Orange march being forced through the area in July
This is the bigots of the orangemen
How much longer must they go on? When can the people of N Ireland live in peace?. How many will be killed or hurt because of the orange marches?
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