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Bandiera della SAS rimossa da ignoti a Loughgall

SAS flag erected and then taken down in Loughgall

Bandiera SAS a Loughgall
AN SAS flag erected in Loughgall on the 25th anniversary of the killing of eight IRA men has been taken down by “unknown persons”, police have said.

The flag, which was put up on an electricity pole outside Loughgall Football Club on May 8, sparked controversy after the relatives of nine men who died in 1987 said they were distressed and upset by its appearance.

As well as carrying the SAS emblem, the flag also displayed ‘9-0’ in reference to the nine men who died on May 8, 1987, after an IRA unit launched an attack on Loughgall Police Station.

Eight members of the IRA were killed and one civilian, Anthony Hughes, died after he was caught up in the ambush when he was driving home with his brother Oliver and they were fired on by the SAS.

Sinn Fein MLA for Newry & Armagh, Cathal Boylan, told a daily regional newspaper that he contacted the PSNI to request they remove the flag.

“I am satisfied to say that this appears to have happened and this flag, which no doubt aimed to offend and to intimidate the local people, is no longer flying,” said Mr Boylan.

A police spokesman told the Portadown Times that while the PSNI “deemed (the flag) offensive”, it notified partner and local community groups in line with its established procedure instead of taking direct action.

“None of these groups supported the erection of this flag. The flag was found to have been removed (last Friday) by unknown persons. No complaints from the public had been received by police at that time.

“Police work within an agreed partnership approach, set out in the ‘Joint Protocol in Relation to the Display of Flags in Public Areas‘, along with the Department of the Environment, Department for Regional Development, Department for Social Development, Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive,” said the spokesman.

“We are firmly committed through our work with these and other partner agencies, as well as local communities, to address the issues surrounding the flying of flags in public areas.”

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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