Restrictions on Downpatrick band parade

Restrictions on Downpatrick band parade

7 August 2013

DOWNPATRICK’S Red Hand Defenders flute band was banned from marching to the Mount Crescent area in the town during its annual parade on Monday night.

Visiting bands were allowed no further than the 30mph signs at the Belfast Road but, as in previous years, the host band was allowed to parade to the War Memorial at the junction of the Old Belfast and Strangford roads to lay a wreath.

The parade, which was attended by a total of 32 bands, passed off peacefully and was policed by just a handful of PSNI officers who formed a line across the Belfast Road to ensure bands did not breach the Parades Commission determination.

Parade organisers insist they have done everything possible to allow the Parades Commission to rubber-stamp the proposal to parade from the Belfast Road to Mount Crescent and back again and cannot understand its refusal to budge on the issue.

Mr. Stephen Strain, the man in charge of the Downpatrick band, said he was disappointed at the Parade’s Commission’s refusal to allow it to march to Mount Crescent.

“We only asked for the host band to parade to Mount Crescent, not all those taking part,” he said. As in previous years, this request was refused.

“We have been permitted to march to the war memorial for a number of years now and were genuinely hoping that all bands taking part in the parade would have been able to march from the Belfast Road to this part of the town and back again but the Parades Commission thought otherwise.”

Mr. Strain again made it clear that he has no intention discussing the band’s proposed route with Sinn Fein, insisting that next year it will again seek permission to march to Mount Crescent.

“The vast majority of people who live at this part of Downpatrick would have no objection to our band marching there from the Belfast Road and these people are not represented by Sinn Fein,” he declared.

“We don’t believe it’s too much to ask for the host band to be allowed to parade to Mount Crescent and for the others to march from the Belfast Road to the War Memorial and back again. Requests for this to happen have been repeatedly refused.”

Down District UKIP representative Alan Lewis has called for the Red Hand Defenders to be allowed to parade in its home town.

He continued: “The Parades Commission must stop pandering to pan-nationalism. It’s annual determination to restrict the parade to the 30mph signs at the Belfast Road sends out the message that there will be no shared future in Downpatrick.”