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Council to probe footage of UVF flag displayed at town hall during loyalist band concert

The UVF flag was displayed during a loyalist band concert at Carrickfergus Town Hall
The UVF flag was displayed during a loyalist band concert at Carrickfergus Town Hall The UVF flag was displayed during a loyalist band concert at Carrickfergus Town Hall

A COUNCIL has said it will "review" footage of a loyalist band contest which saw a UVF flag displayed at a Co Antrim town hall.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said it would probe the event, organised by the Shankill Road Defenders Flute Band, at Carrickfergus town hall at the weekend.

The council also confirmed that a wedding had been moved from the town hall to accommodate the band contest.

Footage shows the UVF flag being held by a bearer from Scottish band Greengairs Thistle for around half an hour as the band plays.

Greengairs Thistle and its members were expelled from the Orange Order in Scotland in 1987 after objections that its uniform had links with paramilitary organisations.

The Scottish band, along with the Shankill Road Defenders, take part in the annual parade to commemorate UVF killer Brian Robinson.

Alliance East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson told the Belfast Telegraph: "Carrickfergus town hall is a facility for everyone and it's absolutely unacceptable to see flags in support of an illegal paramilitary organisation being flown openly."

A spokeswoman for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said it would review footage from the "annual melody concert" and said the council had "covered a small cost" for the couple who had to relocate their wedding.

Meanwhile, South Down DUP MLA Jim Wells has called for an investigation after people were recorded chanting 'Up the IRA', allegedly following a concert held at the clubhouse of Attical GAA on Saturday night.

A spokesman for Down GAA said the exact location of the footage was unclear and added: "We take any breaches of rules seriously, but we are not aware of any breaches of rules in relation to this event."

Mr Wells said: "I would understand if an outside organisation came in and booked the clubhouse, runs an event and they are unaware of what is going on, but this was an official GAA event at which somebody took a video and what that video shows has nothing whatsoever to do with sport."