The Orange Orange has been called on to distant itself from what has been described as the “pure hatred” shown to the nationalist people of Limavady.
The call comes Sinn Féin Councillor Brenda Chivers after what she claimed was a recent “sectarian display” by loyalist bands at the town’s Civic Centre.
Calling on Limavady Borough Council and the Orange Order to ensure such “hate fests” were not repeated, Cllr Chivers described the display as a “deliberate sectarian act.”
Cllr Chivers was speaking ahead of this Saturday’s main Co Derry Orange Order “Twelfth” parade which is expected to attract up to 40,000 people to the Co. Derry town.
Cllr Chivers said: “I have received several complaints about the behaviour of a band, followers and members of the Orange Order who engaged in sectarian singing and chanting on the grounds of Limavady Civic Centre
“While people should respect other people’s culture this was a deliberate sectarian act and nothing that can be dressed up as anything but pure hatred of the nationalist population.
“The Council now needs to ensure that its property is not used to facilitate hate fests such as this one.
“The Orange Order must also distance itself from such provocation if they are to convince the nationalist population that they are a cultural organisation as at the minute our experience points to it being anything but a cultural organisation.”
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