Unionists 'Must Support Police' - Ford

Justice Minister David Ford has called on unionist MLAs to confirm their support for the police following four consecutive nights of rioting over 12 July parades.

"All sides must condemn the recent violence without equivocation. Unionist leaders do not seem to be able to condemn the violence without adding in a 'but' at the end," he said.

"There appear to be more 'buts' in statements coming from unionists, than in the ashtrays outside a pub."

Mr Ford added that all sides must condemn the recent violence without equivocation.

His comments were made during a special sitting of the Assembly that discussed the Parades Commission determination on a parade in north Belfast.

Mr Ford's Alliance Party had supported a Sinn Féin amendment to a motion questioning the Parades Commission's decision to restrict the Orange parade through a predominantly Catholic area of north Belfast.

The amendment fell and the original motion was passed.

"We supported the amendment, not because it said everything we wanted it to, but because it gives clear support for the Parades Commission and the PSNI, and called for dialogue and mutual respect for differing cultures," the Minister said.

"It is time that we heard from Unionist leaders of their full support for the police and their condemnation of all the violence without equivocation. It is time that we saw a real commitment to the talks that will be chaired by Dr Richard Haas around parading, the past and flags, issues that were not addressed in OFMDFM’s 'Together Building a United Community' strategy.

"There is a place for both orange and green cultures in a shared future. You can see this in the successful parade by the Londonderry Orange Lodges which should act as a model to be replicated in Belfast."

(IT/CD)