Condemnation as Nazi flags removed in Carrick
There has been widespread political condemnation after Nazi flags were erected near a loyalist bonfire in Carrickfergus before being taken down on Tuesday night.
The flags appeared in the Oakfield Drive and Marshallstown Road areas of the Co Antrim town ahead of the Twelfth celebrations, alongside paramilitary flags and the Union flag.
East Antrim DUP MP Sammy Wilson has welcomed the removal of the Nazi flags.
He said they “have absolutely nothing in common with unionism or with loyalism”.
“Only a short time ago Carrickfergus played host to part of our Armed Forces Day celebrations and on Sunday the RAF’s Red Arrows flew proudly over Carrick Castle,” he said.
“People from Northern Ireland fought bravely in our armed forces to defeat the Nazis and these flags should have no part in our society.
“I do not believe that the vast majority of people who will participate in celebrations over the coming weekend want to see such flags flying and I welcome that they now appear to have been removed.”
The overwhelming majority of the Unionist people will be as disgusted as the rest of us at these displays of hatred. pic.twitter.com/Pic9mO08ga
— Martin McGuinness (@M_McGuinness_SF) July 7, 2015
Earlier local Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson said the erection of the Nazi flags was “disgraceful”.
He said: “These sorts of actions are not representative of the vast majority of people in Carrick and I know they will join me in utterly condemning it and the evil it stands for.”
The PUP’s Winston Irvine praised those who have condemned those behind the flags.
“The people who live there are proud and principled unionists, many of whom served their country against fascism,” he tweeted.
The PSNI said they were “aware of reports of several flags in the Carrickfergus area and are making enquiries”.
It comes after a Confederate flag was put up a lamppost outside the home of a black footballer in east Belfast.
Last week, East Belfast FC issued a statement to express their disgust to see the flag “put up right at the door of one of our black players, so as a club we took it down”.
“We will continue to work hard behind the scenes to build relations with every area of the community. We are a club for all,” they added.
Banning the flying of the Confederate flag is being debated in the United States in the wake of the Charleston massacre last month.
