Parade Passes Peacefully

There has been a broad welcome for the peaceful conclusion of yesterday's contentious homecoming parade for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board has welcomed the peaceful parade and counter demonstrations in Belfast City Centre.

Professor Sir Desmond Rea said: "The fact that the parade and counter demonstrations passed in a peaceful way is to be welcomed.

"Given the speculation on the likelihood of trouble, there is a real sense of relief within the community that events have passed without serious incident and all those who worked to achieve this are to be commended.

"In policing the event the PSNI had to take into account the public safety of paraders and protestors which meant that a significant policing operation was put in place."

At the event, at least 30,000 people, many waving Union flags, cheered as the parade made its through the city centre.

Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay said there had been just one arrest as about 250 members of the armed forces took part in the main parade, including soldiers from the Royal Irish Regiment, Irish Guards, Royal Dragoon Guards and the Territorial Army.

Sinn Féin protesters took part in a demonstration against the British Army's role in the Troubles. This assembled at Dunville Park in west Belfast and made its way to the city centre, close to where the forces parade was taking place, while police stopped an illegal dissident republican counter parade

However, a face-to-face confrontation at Fisherwick Place, which immediately preceded the march resulted from Sinn Féin protesters and supporters of the parade coming to within 50m of each other.

Although things looked to be escalating for a few minutes, police moved in to restore calm and separate the groups, but it was the action of a single PSNI sergeant - who appealed directly to the parade supporters to fall back in order to allow the parade - that defused the stand-off.

DUP MLA, Robin Newton also expressed appreciation for the police: "Credit must be paid to the PSNI for the massive security operation, for their handling of the on-the-ground situation and for their control of the republican dissident factions. The police operation allowed the public to attend the parade safely and return home safe and sound," he commented.

In counterpoint, Sinn Féin said it was inappropriate to mark the homecoming because British troops were responsible for the deaths of Catholic civilians during the Troubles.

(BMcC)