Northern Ireland

Flags erected in mixed area of Glengormley

Flags have been put up in the Carnmoney Road area of Glengormley. Picture by Mal McCann.
Flags have been put up in the Carnmoney Road area of Glengormley. Picture by Mal McCann. Flags have been put up in the Carnmoney Road area of Glengormley. Picture by Mal McCann.

Catholic residents in on the outskirts of Belfast have said they have been left feeling intimidated after loyalist flags were put up in the area.

People living in the mainly nationalist Carnmoney Road area of Glengormley say around 40 Ulster and other flags were put up in the area on Wednesday evening.

They say the flags were erected the day before a loyalist protocol protest parade took place in the district.

Locals say that while flags had been an issue in the past it had been several years since they were put up.

It is claimed the gang responsible for the flags arrived into in the area in a white van, which then circled the district as two men hoisted the flags from lampposts.

One local person, who did not want to be identified, said it was intimidating.

"The people in most of those houses are Catholic and yet they have come in and put them up," he said.

"There's no excuse for it because it's not a loyalist area, nobody wants flags of any description, they don't want tricolours (either).

"These guys are just doing this to intimidate."

PSNI Chief Superintendent Davy Beck said flags, banner and other symbols are put up each year in many communities.

"In many cases such symbols will cause offence to one community, but may not be in themselves illegal," he said.

"The flying of any flag or banner should be carried out with the consent of the person or organisation who owns the street furniture or property on which the item is flown or displayed.

"While the removal of such items is not the responsibility of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the PSNI is committed to working with communities and partners to build a safe and inclusive society."

Mr Beck also said police were in attendance at an un-notified parade in the Queen’s Park area of Newtownabbey on Thursday.

“We will now review all the footage gathered and consider any suspected offences under the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 or breaches of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021," he said.