Orange Order say they won't help police stop violence

IN WHAT can only be described as inflammatory language, Orange Order Grand Chaplain Mervyn Gibson has warned that the Orange Order would not 'do the police's job for them' this year.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Gibson said Orange Order stewards would not stand between the police and those who want to commit violence, echoing the remarks of Ligoniel Orange leader John Aughey.

Aughey told a parade on Saturday 13 June marking “700 days” of protest at the Ardoyne interface that “lodges were going to step back from any policing responsibility of parades this year”.

Gibson said there is “immense anger” in unionist areas over determinations made by the Parades Commission.

The leading Orangeman's remarks come after leading loyalists pulled out of talks with the PSNI aimed at ensuring a peaceful July.

And, after meeting British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers on Monday 15 June, Orange Order Grand Master Edward Stevenson called on her to “lance the boil of discrimination that the parading legislation has created”!

In short, he was repeating the Orange Order demand for the Parades Commission to be disbanded and legislation on parading to be approved by his organisation.

◼︎ It has been reported that it is costing the PSNI £330,000 per month to police the unionist protest camp at Twaddell Avenue in north Belfast.