Fears of parade violence

The Sentinel has learned the 32 County Sovereignty Committee (32CSM) are planning to proceed with a protest in the city centre at the same time that the loyal order parade will be in full flow.

Further concerns have been expressed that potential troublemakers will be shipped in from Belfast to bulk up numbers, in a reciprocal move that saw dissident sympathisers travel from Londonderry and other areas to Ardoyne on July 12 to confront security forces, which resulted in several days of serious rioting.

Alderman William Hay told the Sentinel he believes there is a dedicated campaign within the city to ratchet up tensions in advance of the parade.

“I have to say there have been a number of incidents in the Waterside, at Irish Street and at Milltown View in Tullyally where for example a number of cars have been damaged. There have also been a number of incidents at the Fountain that demonstrate that tensions are being raised in advance of the parade on August 14.

“Having spoken to security analysts and senior police officers in recent months they too believe there has been a deliberate heightening of tensions and an increase of dissident activity.”

In another development it emerged on Monday that a Belfast teenager accused of rioting at Ardoyne handed himself over to the PSNI after his father saw his photograph in a newspaper. Although not from Ardoyne, the teen had travelled to the area during the disturbances and has been charged with riotous assembly.

He has been released on strict bail conditions, one of which prohibits him ‘entering the city of Londonderry.’

The Sentinel has also learned that dissidents intend to mount a protest at the flashpoint at Ardoyne shops on the morning of August 14, when an Apprentice Boys feeder parade will take place, and plan to travel to Londonderry to take part in republican protests.

Whilst the 32CSM have been holding ‘white line’ pickets in Londonderry for several months, the organisation have recently shifted the location of the protests from the Bogside to the heart of the city centre at Shipquay Street.

An entry on the local 32CSM website on June 25 notified protestors that as of July 3 the protests would be shifted to Shipquay Street. This, the organisation claimed was to further highlight adverse conditions they say dissident republican prisoners are facing at HMP Magheraberry.

The Sentinel asked the 32CSM in the city if they intended to proceed with the protest scheduled for 2pm on August 14. Whilst the organisation failed to respond to the question, a poster image on their local website proclaims that the protests are due to continue at Shipquay Street on Saturdays at 2pm until further notice.