The Five Demands

PSNI meets organisers of major parade (UTV)

Senior police officers have met with the organisers of a loyalist parade which is due to go through Belfast city centre at the weekend.

Up to 10,000 people are expected to take part in the demonstration, which is being held by a group called Loyalist Peaceful Protesters on Saturday.

It is being held to mark one year since restrictions were put in place on the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall.

Ahead of the meeting, Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum said that talks had already been taking place with organisers.

“We are assured as we can be. But we will have enough police in the city on Saturday to be able to manage anything that should occur and at the same time, not doing it in a way which actually creates a very high security zone in the city.

“It’s about having balance, it’s about reasonableness, it’s about common sense.”

On Tuesday, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness claimed loyalist paramilitaries are behind the major protest.

Speaking during question time in the Assembly, Mr McGuinness said he was in no doubt that the UVF was behind the plan.

He told the chamber: “I do not have any doubt as to who is organising this parade.

“The parade is being organised by the UVF and is being supported by elements in the Orange Order.

“I think that there clearly is a responsibility on the Progressive Unionist Party, as it calls itself, to recognise the damage that can be done if these protests continue.”

The Sinn Féin politician said that people have made their point, but he added that the main point to be made is that they have “a duty to face up to the concerns that are being expressed consistently by the business community in Belfast about how damaging these protests can be.”

PUP leader Billy Hutchinson said Mr McGuinness was “deflecting attention from terrorist activity” by dissident republicans.

He said: “The peaceful protest on Saturday is about demonstrating the injustices working class Protestants are experiencing at the moment including the demonisation of their culture and traditions.

“The protest is legitimate and lawful and will also highlight the other issues that are impacting on working class Protestant communities including increasing poverty.”