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By Sharon O’Neill
PROTESTANT Church leaders last night added their weight to calls for an end to the protest outside Holy Cross girls’ primary school, after trouble flared for the second day in a row.
A huge security operation was mounted once again yesterday morning, as around 100 Cath-olic parents and their children were escorted through the front entrance of the school by police in riot gear.
Fresh disturbances erupted as the security forces moved Protestant protesters further back up Ardoyne Road.
Last night, Protestant Church leaders condemned the latest trouble witnessed by the terrified children.
The Church of Ireland archbishop of Armagh, Lord Eames, said: “No society has the right to deny young children access to education and it is tragic beyond words to see that the troubles of our community now affect young children of schools in north Belfast.
“The scenes in the Ardoyne area flashed across the world have further damaged the image of this province.
“While I know there are great complexities to this situation, nothing can possibly justify attacks on little children of any denomination,” he said.
“I commend all the efforts being made to find a solution to the complex questions, but for the present, all right-thinking people must condemn any attack on innocent children.”
Presbyterian moderator Alastair Dunlop said he was “deeply distressed” by the scenes of anguish witnessed on Ardoyne Road.
“This must come to an end. People are suffering immensely and require pastoral care, but this can only begin if normality is allowed to return.
“People matter to God. Our neighbours should matter to us. I would encourage all church and community leaders in the long process of restoring right relationships, so that everyone can live side by side and at peace,” Dr Dunlop said.
The Rev Harold Good, president of the Methodist Church, suggested the appointment of an independent mediator to broker an agreement between both sides in the dispute.
“Realising there are grievances on both sides, I would call on all concerned to re-engage in honest dialogue so that all the issues involved in this dispute can be resolved,” he said.
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