Parades Commission restrict Strabane republican parade

The Parades Commission has today placed restrictions on a contentious republican parade, which is due to take place in Strabane this Sunday.

The event has been organised in commemoration of the murder of three IRA men, shot dead by the SAS in 1985.

Last year, supporters attending the IRA colour parade chanted pro-IRA slogans.

SDLP assembly member for the Strabane area, Eugene McMenamin has said that although the organisers would find it difficult to prevent people from chanting, he believed that the parade would "pass off peacefully," as it has done in recent years.

However, west Tyrone Ulster Unionist Assembly Member and Strabane District Council member, Derek Hussey, condemned the Parades Commission's decision to allow a republican "show of strength" in the town.

Mr Hussey said: "Once again the Parades Commission have determined that a republican parade can take place in Strabane. The Parades Commission is endorsing this glorification of terrorism."

The MLA continued: "The event is abhorrent to all Unionists in this area. It is a celebration of those who have perpetrated murderous terror on that part of the community."

Mr Hussey added that The Parades Commission have addressed certain concerns such as chanting and wearing of paramilitary attire, however the organisers cannot guarantee that this will not happen.

He concluded: "Event organizers have a responsibility to control their parades in accordance with the Commissions requirements, therefore, if it is the case that the organizers of this republican 'show of strength' cannot meet the Parades Commission's restrictions, the Commission has a duty to ban the parade."

The Parades Commission was set up in 1997 to make decisions on whether or not restrictions should be imposed on controversial parades in Northern Ireland.

(EF/SP)