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16 July 1998 Edition

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Back issue: The ``Glorious 12th''

The ``Glorious 12th'' with its ``carnival'' type trappings was the theme of all the pro-Orange broadcasters on both television and radio reporting 12 July demonstrations from around the six counties. Listening to the commentaters one could quite easily fall into the trap of believing that the ``traditional'' Orange processions were nothing more significant than a day's outing for the family ending up with a fun-filled picnic at the field.

The heavy media coverage ensured that the message of Protestant supremacy reached every corner of the six occupied counties.

Keady in County Armagh was the setting this year for a huge show of force by the Orangemen. The dictum that ``no town or road is closed to the Orange Order'' is as true today as ever.

We were assured by UTV's reporter in Keady that the local people welcomed the Orange procession with ``politeness''!.

No amount of window dressing by the BBC, UTV or Downtown Radio of the Orange Order's role in the six occupied counties will fool those people who don't want to be fooled.

The loyalist MP at Westminster, Harold McCusker, defending the torturers in the RUC, said, ``let us not desert these men. I know of no innocent man behind bars because he signed a confession''.

Thomas Passmore, Grand Master of Belfast, called for sterner ``security'' measures: ``Every political shackle must be removed from our security forces, so that they can get on with the job of rooting out terrorists. We told Mr Mason about the IRA bolt holes such as Crossmaglen, Andersonstown and the Bogside last year when we demanded an end to the Poleglass Housing Scheme''.

No doubt one of Mr Passmore's marching friends, a leading member of the Housing Executive in Belfast, will assist in delaying the building of Poleglass as long as possible. The marching Orangemen and their leaders were in no doubt about their role of defending the British crown in Ireland.

Republican News, 20 July 1978.


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