Apparently some people were angry last week at the ‘Build a Bear’ shop in Belfast city centre because of a promotion that descended into chaos.
There were reports that a pregnant member of staff was assaulted and the store was closed.
This anger I assume didn’t come from the disaffected or the marginalised. It came from people who lacked self control - even in the presence of their own children.
So when I hear words ‘angry, marginalised and disaffected’ used as excuses for wanton violence, I get truly frustrated.
There are no excuses. Let’s get over that notion. What is going in Derry and last week in east Belfast and North Down, has nothing to do with being marginalised or disaffected from the mainstream. It’s about manipulation, incitement and reckless intent.
Throughout the Troubles this type of behaviour was used by paramilitaries on all sides for malign purpose. Teenagers were used to hijack vehicles and torched them to block roads.
Children have always been regarded as legitimate cannon fodder and collateral damage by the godfathers of terrorism. Dress it up anyway you want but it was a form of child abuse. So what's been happening in Northern Ireland over the past week wasn’t licked off the ground. Young people are being played by more sinister elements within maverick republicanism and loyalism. However, and more importantly, these hooded Luddites are in no way representative of wider nationalism or unionism.
Looking at the debacle of the dangerous bonfire built near Cluan Place, just when did a group of tearaway teenagers get to set the rules? This bonfire was a direct challenge to law and order and health and safety. It had nothing to do with culture.
Some 200 managed bonfires took place without incident, though to be honest given the number of times the Fire Service is called out, it's a tradition that needs addressed.
The bonfire protocols set up by the City Hall seem to be working, though again the public funding of bonfires to celebrate the dominance of one culture over another has to be unique across the UK.
But for the sake of peace, cheque book diplomacy seems to buy compliance. The placing of the Irish tricolour, SDLP, SF, Alliance and Workers Party candidate posters on these bonfires and attacking emergency services is simply sick. Again it's nothing to do with culture. Steve Aiken of the UUP and the Grand Master of the Orange Order were right to call out these activities for what they are - thuggery.
Whilst the Orange Order remains an alien concept to me, there have been huge strides by them to reach out and create a better understanding of their organisation. They successfully managed tens of thousands of people at family orientated events across seventeen locations throughout Northern Ireland and not a single incident.
The Irish tourism minister respectfully attended the demonstration in Belfast with not a Lundy call in earshot. The Orange Order case as a single identity cultural, religious and heritage organisation is well made but it would be better made if they stayed out of politics.
Nevertheless why should the people of goodwill in the Orange Order have their efforts undermined by tuppeny ha’penny, street corner boys masquerading as loyalists?
The continued riots in Derry also make no sense. There is no political or community support for what is going on. Those involved in the rioting are being used. These teenagers - if they are as marginalised as some claim - are not likely to be buying the petrol for their home made bombs.
If their intent is to stoke up sectarian tensions they will fail. The people of Derry wont allow that to happen. But they can't stop it alone. The police need to take more control and their target should be the parents of the teenagers involved in the riots. Parents can't close their doors and let their children run wild. If, as believed, these teenagers are being used by dissident republicans in the same way as the UVF are using kids in Belfast then frankly the PSNI need to feel a few collars.
A softly, softly, light touch, politically sensitive policing approach won't work with these Neanderthal thugs. This violence needs extinguished before another generation of young people are condemned to a life of prison and criminality.
Anger is not an excuse or excusable.
