THE Orange Order should follow the example of Féile an Phobail in dealing with anti-social behaviour, the DUP’s Edwin Poots has said.
The South Belfast MLA made the comments after it was announced the Orange Order will not be shortening its traditional Twelfth of July parade through Belfast, despite complaints over behaviour in the Shaftesbury Square area of the city.
“There’s a lot that can be learned from Féile,” he said.
"There’s a lot of good things that happen at Féile. Unfortunately, we constantly get this rendition of ‘Up the RA’ which is offensive to hundreds of thousands of people in Northern Ireland and they really should deal with that,” he told Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan Show.
“But in respect of many of the other things that happen at Féile, it is a community festival that takes place over the course of three weeks.
“There’s huge investment there, almost £1 million. We don’t need anything like that, but we do need investment and we do need support and I trust the council will see this is a problem and these people need help to solve the problems.”
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He added: "We believe that bringing more families into the area tends to push anti-social types out…I think that is what is incumbent upon us to do.”
A further problem, he said, was large crowds gathering in Sandy Row on the morning of the Twelfth.
“Locals don’t really like that either,” he said, suggesting that a community-type festival funded by the council or private groups that was aimed at families would address this.
Referencing those involved in anti-social behavior he added: "These people aren’t contributing anything. They’re there, they’re watching but there is too much drink and too much problems and therefore something has to be done.”
