The Five Demands

Padre Gary Donegan, parroco della Holy Church, è stato aggredito ieri sera da un rivoltoso durante la parata del Tour del Nord che ha avuto luogo ieri sera.
Il sacerdote è stato spintonato da uno dei giovani proprio mentre stava cercando di sedare le acque, ed ha definito il gesto come una totale mancanza di rispetto per le autorità-
“Noi non vogliamo questo. La comunità ne è stanca. Per un giovane l’essere coinvolto in questi disordini, non è accettabile”.
Padre Donegan ha anche affermato che si era lavorato molto per alleviare la tensione nella zona nei giorni precedenti la parata orangista e per rendere la serata tranquilla per quanto possibile.
Mark Hamilton, portavoce della polizia, si è detto comunque soddisfatto per svolgimento relativamente tranquillo del corteo.

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Rioter assaults priest at parade (BBC News Northern Ireland)
A priest has been assaulted by a rioter as he worked to calm tensions at an Orange march in Belfast on Friday. Father Gary Donegan, parish priest at Holy Cross, Ardoyne, was trying to stop youths throwing stones at police as the Tour of the North parade passed. One of the youths pushed and jostled him. Father Donegan said it showed a lack of respect for any authority. “Probably that young person doesn’t recognise my authority or anybody else’s for that matter,” he said. “We don’t want this. The community is tired of it. For a young person to come up and be involved in what is commonly known as recreational rioting is not acceptable.” He said that a lot of work had been done to alleviate tension in the area in the run-up to the parade and to make the evening as peaceful as possible. Sinn Féin is blaming dissident republicans for minor skirmishes at the parade. A small number of missiles were thrown as Orangemen passed the shop fronts on the Ardoyne Road in north Belfast. Meanwhile, police chief superintendent Mark Hamilton welcomed the fact that the parade passed off without major incident. “We were pleased and encouraged by the orderly and respectful way in which the event was conducted and marshalled and equally we are grateful for the efforts of all community leaders in reducing tension,” he said. He added that a “small element” was intent on creating disorder and appealed for information about those involved.