The Apprentice Boys were made aware in advance of fears that visiting members would display support for Soldier F during Saturday’s march in Derry, it has emerged.
Meetings took place between the loyal order and the Bogside Residents’ Group (BRG) over the issue. Assurances were also given by police that bands would not be allowed to parade on the west bank with pro-Parachute regiment messages.
However, one band, the Clyde Valley flute band from Larne, displayed Parachute Regiment insignia on their sleeves on the parade in support of Soldier F. The former soldier is to be charged with murdering two of Bloody Sunday victims and attempting to murder four others.
The BRG revealed yesterday that two meetings took place before Saturday’s parade on the issue. Spokesman, Donncha Mac Niallais said the BRG was made aware that there could be messages of support for Soldier F.
“Everyone at the meeting was agreed that it would be better that there was no such displays. We also met the police; the police agreed that they would see issues such as this as potentially leading to a breach of the peace and would prevent any bands participating in the parade.
“The threshold the police told us about was the far end of Craigavon Bridge on the Waterside end and they would stop any supporters, bandsmen or anybody with banners or Parachute Regiment insignia. Clearly, there’s been a breach of faith,” Mr Mac Niallais said.
The BRG spokesman said he left the meetings with the Apprentice Boys believing the situation had been dealt with. Mr Mac Niallais also condemned a petrol bomb attack on the Apprentice Boys’ headquarters on Saturday night.
In a separate development, the chairman of the Bloody Sunday Trust, Tony Doherty has called for a meeting with the Apprentice Boys. Mr Doherty - whose father, Patrick Doherty, was one of the 14 killed – said the flute band’s actions had caused tension in Derry.
“It needs to be seen as deliberately insulting and provocative,” Mr Doherty said.
The Derry man said the Trust hoped to meet the Apprentice Boys and police to ensure there was no repeat of what happened.
General Secretary of the Apprentice Boys, Billy Moore said the organisation was happy to meet most groups to discuss what happened. Mr Moore said the organisation had not felt the Clyde Valley band was causing offence because the insignia was so small.
“I hope common sense prevails and we will sit down and look at a number of things. There were also people flying Tricolours and petrol bombs were thrown at the memorial hall. It is not all one sided; Protestants can also be offended,” Mr Moore said.
The senior Apprentice Boy said a petrol bomb attack on the organisation’s headquarters could have resulted in serious injuries as 500 members and supporters were socialising in the building at the time. He also criticised the police handling of the Clyde Valley band.
“We believe this whole incident was caused by poor policing. Normally, police would have photographed the situation and dealt with it later on; that is the way these situations are normally dealt with,” Mr Moore said.
An Ulster Unionist Party delegation, led by party leader, Robin Swann, will meet the PSNI later this morning, to discuss police handling of Saturday’s incident.
