Pandering to our society's most regressive voices

Why should a contemptible republican rabble be allowed to spoil Belfast's Tall Ships event? The News Letter reports that a Royal Marine band will no longer take part in a parade scheduled to take place today, due to a protest planned by the tiny dissident group, eirigi.

This is an organisation which acted as apologists for the murders of two soldiers and a policeman earlier this year. It's the group that intimidated students working in a Belfast shopping centre, as its 'protest' against against Israel's actions in Palestine. It organised an illegal demonstration when the city honoured troops returning from Afghanistan.

The Marines were, quite appropriately, invited to play a small part in a maritime festival organised in a UK city. It would have formed a tiny proportion of the pageantry which has taken place over four days. It is shameful that the most regressive, knuckle dragging representatives of this society should dictate the composition of a major event.

Comments

Timothy Belmont said…
It's pathetic. The authorities should have learned, by now, that they need to stand up to such despicable threats and complaints.

A RM band played at Botanic Gardens one year, before the main event which was an opera. I've a feelinf there were Irish republican, anti-British complaints and the Marines haven't played prior to the event since.

Shame on the organizers and whoever made the decision to cancel their performance.

Tim
16 August 2009 at 15:13
Anonymous said…
Don`t you realise? gerry and michael tought them all they know.

Boo sucks to the lot of them, touts and all.
16 August 2009 at 18:49
Gary said…
Disgusting that a sovereign deomcratic government bends over backwards and takes it up the chuff by a small bunch of knuckle dragging thugs steeped in an outdated 19th century ideology. May I recommend a good book......"Talking to Terrorists: Making Peace in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country" by John Bew, Martyn Frampton and Inigo Gurruchaga.
17 August 2009 at 10:16
Owen Polley said…
Cheers Gary. Just ordered a copy.
17 August 2009 at 11:21
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