Ballynahinch and Clough hit by flag protests at weekend

Ballynahinch and Clough hit by flag protests at weekend

16 January 2013

TWO Loyalist protests took place in Down District on Friday as part of the ongoing flag protests.

Around 30 Loyalists took part in a protest in Ballynahinch which started at Langley Road at around 7pm. The group walked to the town centre where they lined the street protesting until around 8pm.

In Clough a group of around 50 blocked the Main Street at around 6pm in a protest which lasted until 8pm. Police diverted traffic around the village for the duration of the protest.

The Clough protest was attended by Down District UKIP representative Alan Lewis who said he is happy to attend and support the protests because he “recognises the immense feelings of discontent within Unionism.”

“I support UKIP’s decision to take up their seats on the Unionist forum however we are not interested in a DUP talking shop that deflects DUP failings,” he said. “We want to see an active approach by all shades of Unionism to combat what has been a pan nationalist assault on our culture and traditions.

“I also call on the Alliance party to publicly recognise their Belfast city councillors’ decision has destabilised Northern Ireland and set community relations back generations.

“A shared future does not mean total contempt for every thing British and British symbols demonised as sectarian. Northern Ireland can truly prosper when the attempts to strip us of British identify cease and politicians work on the real issues at hand. “