Northern Ireland

Belfast parade planned to mark seven years since union flag protests

Billy Dickson is organising the demonstration
Billy Dickson is organising the demonstration Billy Dickson is organising the demonstration

A parade is being organised to mark seven years since the union flag protests began at Belfast City Hall.

The march will also protest against the demolition of a bridge as part of Translink's planned £208 million Belfast Transport Hub.

It will begin at around noon on Saturday at Sandy Row Orange Hall before making its way along Boyne Bridge and towards the city hall.

In early December 2012, Belfast City Council voted to limit the flying of the union flag at city hall to designated days.

A loyalist protest outside the council building erupted into violence minutes after the motion was passed and the decision sparked weeks of street protests and disruption.

A demonstration involving a small number of people continues to be held at the gates of city hall each Saturday.

Former Belfast deputy lord mayor Billy Dickson, who is organising the march, said he is among the flag protesters who still regularly attend the weekly city hall demonstration.

He said that "a lot of people see seven as important" because "biblically speaking, seven means complete, although I don't think this will be the completion of the protest".

"In fact I know it won't be the completion of the flag protests," the 72-year-old from south Belfast added.

The parade, involving one flute band, will stop for a short time on the Boyne Bridge which heritage campaigners want preserved.

The bridge at the Sandy Row junction with Hope Street was built in the 1930s and named after the Battle of the Boyne.

Buried beneath the road are believed to be remnants of the old Saltwater Bridge, which King William of Orange is said to have crossed in 1690 on his way to the Boyne.

As part of the transport hub plans, exploratory works were carried out at the site earlier this year for signs of the old bridge.

A Translink spokeswoman said the findings of the ground works report are still being collated and will be submitted to Stormont officials for review.