Northern Ireland

John Dallat: SDLP MLA's car attacked during loyalist parade

The Orange Order's annual Tour of the North parade passed off peacefully. Picture by Matt Bohill
The Orange Order's annual Tour of the North parade passed off peacefully. Picture by Matt Bohill The Orange Order's annual Tour of the North parade passed off peacefully. Picture by Matt Bohill

AN SDLP MLA said he had to dial 999 after his car was surrounded by loyalists in Co Derry on Friday night.

East Derry MLA John Dallat had gone to collect a Chinese takeaway on Main Street in Kilrea when he was spotted by people attending a band parade in the village.

Mr Dallat said a group kicked his car and took many photos of him on their phones.

He said the group appeared angry that he had moved his car during a break in the parade.

"I have lived through very bad times but this is the first time I felt the need to phone the emergency services to help me get away before worse happened," he said.

"I wish to thank the PSNI officers came to my rescue.  They were most understanding and understood that my presence was entirely innocent.

"Other people who were not from the Nationalist community were also hemmed in and trying to get home.  Some were elderly."

Mr Dallat said he will contact the Parades Commission to ask that the parade be reviewed next year.

"People in their own town must not be intimidated in this manner and public representatives must have their mandate respected," he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Orangemen marched through Belfast as part of the annual Tour of the North parade on Friday night.

Around 800 people and 13 bands took part in the parade which passed St Patrick's Catholic Church on Donegall Street - the scene of previous disorder.

Restrictions were again placed on the controversial parade, which is often seen a precursor to the July 12 marches.

Bands were told they could only play a single drumbeat outside the church, which was running its regular soup kitchen for the city's homeless community on Friday night.

An earlier feeder parade passed the church, as did the main parade.

There was a large police presence at the potential flashpoint on Donegall Street

However the march passed off peacefully.