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East Belfast: banda suona la Sash davanti a chiesa cattolica

Band plays Sash past Catholic Church

Parata Orange Order | © Utv

A band has played the Sash past St Matthew’s Catholic Church in east Belfast.

The return parade along the Lower Newtownards Road passed off peacefully on Monday evening.

Bands were restricted to only playing hymns along the contentious stretch of the route.

However, many of the bands ignored the determination.

There was a significant police presence in the area ahead of the parade and a steel fence erected along part of the contentious route.

Earlier a flute band breached a Parades Commission determination while passing St Patrick’s Church in Belfast city centre.

The Finaghy True Blues band was heard playing How Great Thou Art as they walked down Donegall Street past the church during the contentious part of their outward parade on Monday morning. Loud cheers were also heard in the vicinity.

The Parades Commission had ruled that only a single drumbeat should be heard.

Police signs were in place in the area of the Catholic church to remind bands of the determination.

In June the Tour of the North parade passed the same church with similar restrictions.

It passed off peacefully and the Parades Commission determination was observed.

Following that incident, a spokesperson for the Parades Commission said: “Any breach of a determination is a matter for the police to investigate and those involved could be liable for prosecution.

“The commission will take previous behaviour and any proven breaches into account in reaching future decisions.”

A spokesperson for the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast said it was ‘”a matter for the authorites”.

SDLP MLA Alban Maguinness said: “It was in clear violation of the parades commission determination and of course all the other bands and lodges obeyed the parades commission determination.

“That was a very good thing but this was very disappointing and very disrespectful to the church and very disrespectful to the people who live round here.”

Police said they are investigating the Donegall Street incident.

“An evidence gathering operation was in place and breaches of the parades commission determination will be investigated and reported accordingly,” a PSNI statement said.

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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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