Loyalist flag protesters may march on Dáil

The EU demanded that Frazer’s group return £350,000 worth of funding after 'major failures' were uncovered about how its money was being spent

WILLIE FRAZER – County Armagh’s very own Grand Old Duke of York – may be marching his men down to Dublin again . . . to demand the removal of the Tricolour from Leinster House!

The stunt is on the coat tails of loyalist protests against the vote in December by Belfast City Council to fly the ‘Union Jack’ flag on 17 designated days (the same as the Assembly at Stormont) instead of every day.

Frazer, the publicity-hungry organiser of the ‘Love Ulster’ march in Dublin in 2006 that resulted in riots costing €10million in damages and lost revenue (maybe that should be ‘Love/Hate’ march – Ed), told the Belfast Telegraph:

“It’s not solely about the flags issue. It’s also about the Irish Government’s interference with inquiries here” – a reference to demands for a full public enquiry into the murder of human rights solicitor Pat Finucane by unionist death squads under the control of British Government agencies.

Frazer added: “We understand that people may be upset that we are coming down to ask that their country’s flag be removed but perhaps they will understand what it has been like for us.”

Frazer is a former British Army reservist who heads a victims organisation (FAIR) that represents only unionist victims of the conflict in south Armagh.

In November 2011, the EU demanded that Frazer’s group return £350,000 worth of funding after “major failures” were uncovered about how its money was being spent.

Frazer has told the media that he will contest the Mid-Ulster Westminster by-election against Sinn Féin’s Francie Molloy for the MP's seat that had been held by Martin McGuinness.

Below: O'Connell Street after Willie's last march