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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 8:22 am
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:26 pm
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:52 am
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:58 am
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:14 am
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:04 am
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 1:25 pm
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Quote: Northern Irealen, has this changed your opinion?
Replaced by me to here, it'll get more traffic this way. Even if the traffic is only a few replies..
Mr. Bono Vox now now now.. where to begin? so much i could say but so little time in which to say it. firstly welcome to this thread, i hope what i type in here will give you a more accurate picture of what Northern Ireland is and what the people within it are about. secondly i would like to set the record straight with regards to last weeks riots which i am sure you have heard about... we DID NOT attack the police for no reason, we in fact didnt attack the police at all. it was the other way round. This information came from a fellow Bro. Orangeman walking in a lodge and another walking in a band at two different points in the Whiterock Parade. Quote: The parade made it's way to Workman Avenue where the security gates remained closed as per the PC determination. Each band played a tune at the gate as a token of a small protest before proceeding to the new gate at the top of Woodvale Avenue where the parade would proceed through the Old Mackies Industrial complex. The parade did move through the gates as expected but after the first few lodges and bands got through the PSNI in full riot gear slammed the gates closed on the 2nd half of the parade. This effectively split the parade the two and resulted in sheer chaos and confusion. The first part of the parade on reaching the Springfield Road and after realising what had happened behind them engaged in a sit down protest due to what had taken place. The second half of the parade locked out on the Woodvale Avenue side not fully realising why they had been barred then traversed the reverse route to try and join up with the start of the parade. In effect the police action created two separate parades. The second parade made it's way up the Woodvale Road, Ballygomartin Road and West Circular Road to meet the first parade on the Springfield Road from a position of ignorance of not fully understanding why they had been blocked. The good brother in the 2nd parade told me of the bewildering looks received from the spectators who were amazed to see part of the parade walking the reverse route. Before the parade reached the Springfield Road, the PSNI formed a line across the West Circular Road to prevent the 2nd half of the parade meet the 1st half. As soon as they reached the PSNI line the water cannon appeared from a side street and immediately attacked the parade. Meanwhile the 1st parade sat on the Springfield Road were on the receiving end of verbal abuse from PSNI officers calling the brethren Orange b******** which only provoked the situation further. Also, while the PSNI were videoing the brethren, they came under attack from republicans behind the houses on the Springfield Road throwing eyebolts, spanners and other missiles. When one considers this version of events then is it any wonder that brethren reacted in the way that they did and why trouble broke out to the extent that it did. This version certainly did not see the light of day in any news bulletins which of course showed only what they wanted the world to see. It was the closing of the gates and splitting the parade that lit the match and everything else followed from it. I wonder if this was the brave heroism Mr. Orde was referring to? and to back this up i have two other eye witness reports from the East side of the city... Quote: From the outset it should be pointed out that I have no axe to grind. I’m not an Orangeman and not protestant. But the scenes I saw on Saturday as I worked in Michael Copeland’s and Sir Reg Empey’s offices is East Belfast were shocking and have had a profound affect on me. The spin coming from the Police and Secretary of State would suggest that Loyalists were solely to blame for the events of the weekend. Having not been up in the Highfield area, I can’t comment on what occurred up there, but from my experience of events in the East of the City, to suggest that the Police acted in a proper, correct manner would be stretchingthe truth’s elasticity to breaking point. I have always defended the police, having no truck with paramilitaries of any persuasion, and over the years I have formed the view that paramilitaries are actively hindering development in many working class areas. That aside, what I witnessed on Saturday was a provocative, rampant police, completely disinterested in taking effective measures to calm the situation, instead opting for heavy-handed tactics which I 100% believe led to the escalation of the situation. Orangemen and supporters gathered outside the Orange Hall at 2.00pm before making their way up to the Albertbridge to make a peaceful protest. The merits of this protest are not for me to argue. They came under sustained stoning and bottling from Short Strand residents who had clearly come prepared. The police response to the attacks from Short Strand residents was woefully inadequate. Rather than move in to prevent the attacks from continuing they more or less passively stood by and allowed the situation to develop. When Loyalists began to return stones the Police eventually sprang into action. There was a palpable sense of frustration that the Police were effectively turning a blind eye to Short Strand residents but were ‘rushing’ those on the Loyalist side. After a period of calm the protesters at the bridge were able to make their way to the interface at the corner of Albertbridge road and Castlereagh Road. Stone throwing ensued. What followed next, in my opinion, utterly defied logic: The Police surged up the Albertbridge Road. And I mean surged, knocking women to the ground with their Land Rovers and pushing and hitting people who were in their way. Had these people been rioters with scarves around their faces or brandishing petrol bombs they could have at least had an excuse. But women with no weapons and political representatives who were trying to reason with them and defuse tensions where herded like sheep going to an abattoir. The UUP offices became a safe haven for those caught in the street as Police edged up the road and forced the rioters up towards Templemore Avenue. In the street I saw an elderly man in his 70’s who was forced to the ground, had his head truncheoned and when he raised his hands to protect his head, he had his hands truncheoned too. The force was so great it split his finger open. We managed to get him, concussed and rambling, inside the offices and administer some basic first aid, others followed young and old with head injuries or other injuries. We called an ambulance which arrived swiftly and departed just as swiftly as some of those injured were reluctant to go to hospital. The ambulance driver said that they couldn’t get out and treat the wounds so I told him we only had basic first aid and said we needed stuff. He produced a bandage out of his pocket and said that was all he could give me! The Police, now right outside our offices, were clearly amped up and enjoying the situation, many laughed and smiled to each other and I heard some shouting ‘Orange bastards’ or ‘Protestant bastards’ at protestors. Many deliberately pointed rifles or plastic bullet weapons at protestors. It was blatantly provocative and I couldn’t believe my ears or eyes. Some women in the office were hysterical, one woman just sat in the corner with her head in her hands quietly sobbing. It was horrific. As a Communications professional, I am aware of the tools and various mechanisms that can be used to get your point across in the media. The Police and Secretary of State have been quick to apportion blame and wash their hands of any involvement. The media have been quick to adopt their line, too hastily in my view. I must say, having witnessed first hand the Police tactics employed and the manner in which they undertook their ‘operation’, my faith and trust in the Police has taken a substantial hammering. Quote: I was at a peaceful protest today in East belfast in support of our Brethren at Whiterock. Our intention was to hold a quite, dignified, and peaceful protest and within 2 minutes of us arriving at our muster point at the Short Strand interface, our group , which included women and children, came under attack by foul mouthed and bitter republican morons from that area.Within seconds a hail of stones, bottles ( hundreds of these) grating covers, metal bars, golf balls were thrown indescriminately into the crowd, where I saw an elderly man struck on the head and another man hit around the legs. The PSNI did nothing to start with until the republican mob had our group almost outflanked, and then the PSNI moved in. More landrovers with Police in riot gear arrived and the mob then attacked everything moving: landrovers, cars, buses, us, the PSNI etc. This was clearly orchestrated judgeing by the ammount of ammunition and bottles being hurled at us and we heard more than one calilng for the "Orange B****rds get off our road." So much for the Queens Highway then! A typical reaction to us from Sinn Fein/IRA thugs in Celtic tops, who a few weeks ago were complaining that we wouldnt talk with them about our Parades! I wonder why! It will be interesting to hear how the media portray the day, but take it form me and those that were there, we went unarmed,quietly and peacefully and were attacked without mercy and without cause. all three accounts tie in, in all three accounts the authors recall the police calling the Orange men and supporters 'Orange B******s' and in the two East Belfast accounts the police attacked the peaceful protesters and do so with malice and without proper cause. some many say 'oh well they were all from Unionists who would say that, well no, because the middle man there points out that he is neither an Orange man or a Protestant, also i have another eye witness account from an ex riot policeman who was in East Belfast and seen the police attacks... Quote: Protestants 'driven into arms of paramilitaries' A retired riot control police officer claims the PSNI are driving ordinary Protestants into the arms of paramilitaries with their heavy handness. John Little, who retired as a chief inspector after 30 years' service, was on the Albertbridge Road all day on Saturday: "I saw a black hatred in the ordinary Protestants that I never saw while commanding in riot situations in Drumcree, west Belfast or Londonderry," he said. "Without going looking for them I have personally seen baton round injuries on two children of seven and on others of nine, 11 and 14. "The Chief Constable says his officers will only fire at identifiable rioters as a last resort and they are not allowed to fire at children. "But the injuries I have seen are not typical of baton rounds bouncing off the ground before hitting their target. "In some cases the skin has even been broken by the force. "Mothers have been coming to me in tears as the hospitals are saving the police will be coming for anyone who has been treated for baton rounds injuries. "I just cannot understand Hugh Orde coining out and demonising Protestants with such emotive language as he has been using. Anyone rioting deserves to be thrown in jail but has he forgotten these areas will still need to be policed afterwards? "These children are not going to come around with a few sweeties and a police disco and this is going to leave a vacuum for paramilitaries to step into." He describes the riot control he saw as "shambolic" and "lacking command and control, using inexperienced officers". He further claims police were "running amok" and beating women, the elderly and children. "There was no attempt to contact with elected representatives on the ground to calm things down," he added. On Sunday he also claims blast bombs were being thrown from the nationalist Short Strand into Protestant Cluan Place. "I said to one policeman that the explosions were blast bombs and asked him to intervene, but he dismissed them as fireworks. They just didn't care what was happening to Protestants." A police spokeswoman said it was vital people were aware of the ferocity of attacks directed at police during recent disturbances. "Officers dealt with horrendous violence and responded with minimal force," she said. "They have been shot at, stoned, petrol-bombed and assaulted but still carried out their duty professionally to protect life and property. "We strongly reject any allegations that police stood by and did nothing during the disturbances." News Letter 15th September 2005 what we seen in the media over the last week or so was a shameless attaempt to cover up what really happened and to discredit the Orange order along with the Unionist people in general, it bears the marks of what happened with Mr De Mendez and the attempted police cover up and the silencing of witnesses but in this case ignoring them all together. the only media that will report the REAL events is a local paper called the newsletter and even then... well you know. gonk and after all this i will hear at least one of you say, 'oh but what about the police tapes?' well i will tell you about those tapes, those tapes are heavily edited footage from the parade that ay, you have to look at what you didnt see to get what really happened, what did they now show you? they didnt show you the parade or the beginning of the defence that the orange men delt out to the police why? because if they had showed you that then they would have had to show you the police closing the gates, abusing my fellow brothers and then attacking them with a water cannon. and after all this i will hear at least one of you say, 'oh but what about the police tapes?' well i will tell you about those tapes, those tapes are heavily edited footage from the parade that ay, you have to look at what you didnt see to get what really happened, what did they now show you? they didnt show you the parade or the beginning of the defence that the orange men delt out to the police why? because if they had showed you that then they would have had to show you the police closing the gates, abusing my fellow brothers and then attacking them with a water cannon. there you are, the real story. dont believe what you hear, dont believe what you see, if you open your eyes you'll see the real enemy...
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 2:12 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 11:41 pm
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:36 pm
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:41 pm
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 9:46 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:38 am
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:02 pm
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