16/07/2012

'Anti-Catholic' Accused Twelfth Band Defends Actions

A loyalist band that was filmed playing tunes outside a Catholic church on last Thursday's Twelfth of July parade has defended its actions.

The band – wearing Shankill YCV (Young Conway Volunteers) uniforms – were recorded walking in circles outside St Patrick’s Church on Donegall Street, near the Carlisle Circus starting point of the Belfast march.

Bandsmen were recorded confronting and threatening one of two people filming the display.

The band was thought to be playing an anti-Catholic song called the "famine song", but they have since said they were playing a Beach Boy song called Sloop John B.

A statement by the band included the words: "The singing of words that some supporters associated with the tune the band was playing at the time was perhaps unfortunate and may have just been a by-product of the exuberance of the day of celebration of our culture and history."

The band objected to onlookers who they said were engaged in an "illegal gathering" and said members "took exception" to being filmed by what they called "a member of a hostile Republican gathering, perceivably for some untoward purpose, before marshals did approach to ask him to stop filming".

Sinn Fein activist JJ Magee said two men approached him while he was filming, shouted at him and tried to snatch his phone and hit him.

The Belfast County Grand Lodge, the PSNI and the Parades Commission have stated they will investigate the incident, which occurred while the church was closed.

(NE/GK)

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