The Five Demands

Nelle prime ore di questa mattina, alcune chiese dell’area di Ballymena sono state bersaglio di lanci di vernice bianca.
La polizia sta trattando il fatto come casi di settarismo.
Gli attacchi seguono i numerosi attacchi alle Orange Halls di queste ultime settimane e precedono la parata orangista del 12 luglio prossimo. Sabato notte verranno accesi bonfires nelle comunità lealiste della zona e migliaia di orangisti sfileranno per le vie dei paesi.
Le parate  segnano l’anniversario della battaglia del Boyne, parate che hanno innescato violenti scontri tra lealisti e nazionalisti in passato, ma negli utlimi anni si sono svolte senza disordini.
I politici sono preoccupati del fatto che questo genere di attacchi  possano aumentare le tensioni nell’area di Ballymena.
Declan O’Loan del SDLP ha commentato: “Tutti, anche i cattolici, i protestanti, i musulmani o gli indù, hanno il diritto di praticare la loro religione nei loro luogo di culto, senza subire intimidazioni e attacchi. E’ deplorevole che questo accada. Condanno questi attacchi e tutti gli attacchi settari o di natura razzista”.

Northern Ireland Churches Paint-Bombed (95.8 Capital News)
White paint has been splashed on the front doors and walls of the churches in the Ballymena area of County Antrim in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police are treating the incidents as sectarian. The attacks come ahead of the annual Orange Order 12th of July commemorations this weekend. On Saturday night, bonfires will be lit in loyalist communities across the province and thousands of Orangemen will parade in towns and cities on Monday. The parades which mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne have sparked violent clashes between loyalists and nationalists in the past, but recent years have been relatively peaceful. Politicians are concerned the church attacks will heighten tensions in Ballymena. SDLP North Antrim MLA Declan O’Loan has condemned the paint-bombings, saying they are down to a leadership vacuum in unionism. He said: “This is a disgraceful episode for the Ballymena area. “Everybody, whether Catholic, Protestant, Muslim or Hindu, has the right to practice their religion at their place of worship without intimidation and attack. “This is regrettable that these attacks are happening. I condemn these attacks and any attacks of a sectarian or racist nature.” The incidents follow attacks earlier this week on a number of Orange Order meeting halls. In one incident, sectarian slogans were painted on the walls of a hall in the town of Rasharkin near Ballymena. Presbyterians in Ballymena also condemned the attacks. Speaking on behalf of local Presbyterian Churches, Rev Joseph Andrews, clerk of the Ballymena Presbytery, issued the following statement: “When any vandalism to Church property of any denomination takes place, it is very unsettling and distressing for the members of the congregation and embarrassing to the local community. “I call for all such attacks to cease and I deplore such behaviour from whatever source it comes.”