Parade gives town bad image - Curran

A number of bands and their followers came onto the town for the Banbridge District PUL Community Group parade on Friday March 15 on the same night an electoral registration night was also organised at Banbridge Orange Hall.

On their Facebook page the PUL encouraged as many people as possible to come out with their Union flag to join the parades and walk behind them in a peaceful and dignified manner.

They encouraged other bands from outside the district to join them but stressed that anyone coming from outside areas that they respect the group and its marshals.

But Councillor Brendan Curran said that the parade presented a negative image by what he described as a ‘pro-apartheid grouping.’

The councillor said, “Town centres should be neutral zones welcoming to all members of our community and free from partisan emblems.

“Unfortunately, in the week that economists reported an improvement in retail business, following the downturn caused by the flag protests, the PUL Grouping chose to present Banbridge as an unwelcoming environment for members of the nationalist community.

“Those who respect their national flag treat that flag with dignity and fly it only on official occasions and between the hours of sunrise and sunset. To do otherwise is to disrespect not only the flag but the country and the institutions that it represents.”

Councillor Curran went onto claim that 50% of the buying public are nationalists whose business is essential for the financial growth of the town.

He said, “The bankrupt fiscal policies of the Westminster Government are pushing us deeper into recession on a daily basis. In such circumstances our local economy needs all the help it can get. Unfortunately PUL has chosen to promote their apartheid position rather than the interests of the local economy.”