NORTHERN IRELAND: PRO BRITISH PROTESTANTS ANNUAL MARCH скачать в хорошем качестве

NORTHERN IRELAND: PRO BRITISH PROTESTANTS ANNUAL MARCH

(12 Jul 1996) English/Nat More than 100-thousand pro-British Protestants have marched triumphantly throughout Northern Ireland as Catholics nursed their wounds following confrontations over the annual marches of the Orange Order. Police and soldiers kept a small Catholic community in south Belfast in a stranglehold overnight, blocking residents with rows of armoured cars as the parade of four fife-and-drum bands and 200 Orangemen passed by. Marching in the face of Catholic opposition and outrage, the Protestant Orange Order took to the streets of Belfast in the climax to their marching season. Escorted by riot police, the marchers commemorated their victory over the Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne over three hundred years ago. The route went through a Catholic stronghold in the Lower Ormeau Road and although the police were on standby for any trouble, one protestor managed to make her point clearly by holding up a banner. This summed up the feeling in the Catholic community. Many feel betrayed by the R-U-C who reversed their decision and have allowed the Protestants to march through Catholic areas during the week. The R-U-C has also come under fire from S-D-L-P moderate, Joe Hendron, who says he has totally lost faith in the R-U-C in the light of the events over the last couple of days. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The manhandling of people who were protesting, the police seemed to do it with glee, not only on Ormeau Road but also on Garvaghy Road yesterday. People have seen this on television across the land and indeed around the world so I regret to have to say that my confidence in the police force in this point in time and in regard to nationalists earlier is really zero." SUPER CAPTION: Joe Hendron M-P, S-D-L-P for West Belfast Despite the strong opposition the Orange men are insistent on marching come what may. But the tense atmosphere in Belfast appeared to be left behind in the more relaxed setting of Hillsborough, where another Orange march was underway. Friday is the climax of the Protestant Orange Order's marching season. Former leader of the Ulster Unionists, Jim Molyneaux says the Orange Order has a right to march and believes the annual parade was central part of Protestant community. Molyneaux blames the violence on a minority from both sides. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Had that reasonable agreement been adhered to, had it not been sabotaged by rather extreme and irresponsible people, I have to say on both sides, not only the Orange Order, then there would have been no fuss, no regrets, no tension as a result of that today." SUPER CAPTION: Jim Molyneaux, Former leader of the Ulster Unionists In the face of the Orange men's determination to march and celebrate the security forces will be out in force to clamp down on any further outbreaks of violence, which in the present climate appear almost guaranteed to happen. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...