The Five Demands

Covenant Parade exposes true nature of unionism (Sinn Féin)

October 1, 2012

Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy has said that the events leading up to and during the Ulster Covenant Parade on Saturday exposed the nonsense of the argument being put forward by Peter Robinson and others that unionism was an ideology which could attract support from across the community.

Mr Murphy said:

“On Saturday we had a gathering of the Loyal Orders, the DUP, UUP,TUV and BNP along with both the UDA and the UVF all parading behind the one unionist banner. In recent times Peter Robinson and Mike Nesbitt have been pedalling the notion that the Union is for all. Saturday exposed that lie for all to see.

“Saturday was about supremacy, it was about intolerance and it was about triumphalism. The rights of nationalist residents in Carrickhill and the Short Strand were secondary to a unionist demand to march past Catholic Churches whilst playing sectarian tunes. It was more important to allow the UDA and the UVF to sell merchandise in the grounds of Stormont than stand up against what was clearly wrong.

“In the coming days no doubt unionist leaders will attempt to brush the reality of the events of Saturday under the carpet, instead donning the Orange tinted spectacles and continuing to pretend that the event was some sort of family day out for everyone.

“Saturday laid bare the lie that unionism is a political ideology that does or can ever enjoy widespread support from across the board. Unionism as we witnessed on Saturday is about domination not equality.”