THERE have been calls to ban a loyalist band associated with Jamie Bryson from marching past a Catholic church after it previously twice broke rulings not to play music.
Bangor Protestant Boys Flute Band intend to take part in an Apprentice Boys parade past St Patrick’s Church in north Belfast on December 5 – the only band who have applied to march past the flashpoint.
The band want to march from Clifton Street Orange Hall along Donegall Street, past St Patrick’s, to nearby York Street and then travel by bus to Derry.
They have applied to march in the opposite direction in the evening.
The band, which wears UVF-style insignia and has in the past been pictured carrying paramilitary-linked flags, caused controversy when it played the sectarian Famine Song, within earshot of St Patrick’s during an Apprentice Boys parade on Easter Monday.
In August the band deliberately broke a commission determination and played “a well known church hymn” as it passed St Patrick’s.
In a statement the band later said it “took a conscious decision to breach the draconian, oppressive and utterly ludicrous determination issued by the anti-Protestant and unelected quango – the Parades Commission”.
Sinn Féin councillor JJ Magee called for the band to be prevented from marching.
“I hope the Apprentice Boys will take full responsibility for what way this band acts on the day,” he said.
Mr Bryson said on Friday night that the band was “invited by the local Apprentice Boys club.”
“They are entitled to invite whoever they so wish and we are also entitled to participate in whichever lawful parade we feel appropriate,” he said.
“We have no intention of refusing invites to parades or skulking off to appease the permanently offended JJ Magee or his Sinn Féin comrades.
“If it was the Salvation Army parading on Clifton Street they would still find offence and it is about time people stop pandering to these troublemakers.
Mr Bryson challenged police to arrest him if they want to question him about the August breach.
The 25-year-old who walks in the band as a ‘deacon’ and doesn’t play an instrument, was visited by police yesterday and asked to voluntarily present himself for questioning.
“The fact the PSNI are seeking, almost pleading for my agreement to voluntarily come in for an interview shows they are pandering to the weak, ambiguous and fatally flawed parading legislation,” he said.
“If the PSNI want to speak to me in relation to carrying a stick whilst my band played a hymn, then I am not exactly inconspicuous or difficult to find.
“They are welcome to come and arrest me at any time. Mohammed can come to the mountain”.
