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Peter Robinson: sospendete le proteste per la bandiera dell’Unione

First Minister calls for end to flag protests

Carrickfergus
First Minister Peter Robinson has called for all protests surrounding the Union Flag to be suspended.

DUP leader Peter Robinson said those organising the protests should stop immediately “in the wider interestes of a peaceful society”.

Mr Robinson was speaking after a second night of violence since councillors in Belfast voted on Monday night for the Union Flag to be removed from the city hall on all but 20 days of the year.

He added that anyone engaging in violence is “disgracing” the flag they claim to defend.

Mr Robinson said: “At no time did our Councillors call for a picket or protest. Indeed, when others did, our Councillors called for it to be peaceful. They did this because they knew the sensitivity of the issue and the risks involved in bringing large numbers of people onto the streets.

“People’s right to protest is justified and legitimate and should be defended. However, my advice is that street protests should be suspended by those responsible for organising them in the wider interests of a peaceful society and to ensure their protests are not used by others to launch a campaign of violence.”

He went on to criticise the political parties who supported the flag’s removal.

“Those who supported the removal of the Union Flag on all but a handful of days from City Hall have started a debate which has undoubtedly damaged relationships in the Council and beyond,” he said. “The decision by nationalists to seek the removal of the Union flag was a divisive and provocative act.

“Until recently relationships within Belfast City Hall were settled and indeed, councillors from all parties had a better working relationship than at any time in the past. Sadly this has been disrupted and substantially damaged as a consequence of the decision taken by Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance on Monday evening. For some Councillors to indicate that the removal of the Union Flag completely from two Council buildings and from City Hall for around 350 days of the year is a compromise which is to be celebrated is perverse.”

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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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