A 46-YEAR-OLD man arrested after a bin was thrown at loyalist bandsmen has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
The man was arrested following an altercation yesterday as a Twelfth of July feeder parade made its way along the mixed Agincourt Avenue in south Belfast.
A video posted on social media showed a man emerge from a house with a tricolour flying from the first floor window as the parade was passing.
He threw a recycling bin at members of Bangor Protestant Boys Flute Band, some of whom responded by jumping the pedestrian gate as the man ran back into the house.
Bandsmen appeared to try to enter the property, which is understood to house several flats.
One member set down his drum, picked up a wheelie bin and smashed it against the front window of the house, which belonged to a ground-floor flat unconnected to the man.
In a statement, Bangor Protestant Boys said the bandsmen initially thought an “explosive device” had been thrown at them and that “in the confusion following the attack on the band, regrettably an item smashed the window of the general property from which the aggressor came”.
“Unbeknown to the band members, the property is split into different homes over several floors and regrettably the window smashed [belongs to] an entirely innocent victim of this situation.
“The band will pay for all damage to the innocent person’s window and express apologies to this individual.”
Meanwhile, the PSNI has hailed this year's Twelfth as one of the quietest in years.
Assistant chief constable for local policing, Bobby Singleton, said 2,500 officers and staff worked to facilitate around 600 parades in one of the busiest days for police in Northern Ireland.
"I want to take this opportunity to thank all those involved for their help in making this one of the safest and most peaceful 12th July events in recent memory," he said.
