Loyalists cancel Dublin flag protest after clash with rugby match and rock concert
Willie Frazer cancels march and praises Dublin police
Published Thursday, January 10, 2013, 7:44 AM
Updated Thursday, January 10, 2013, 9:14 AM
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Police keep protesters in Belfast in check
Photo by Google Images
Ulster Loyalists have abandoned plans to bring their flag protest to Dublin on Saturday – because their march clashes with a rugby match and a rock concert.
The Irish Sun reports that organiser Willie Frazer is now trying to move the controversial protest to Monday after talks with Irish police.
Frazer has even praised the Dublin police and claimed they have more ‘common sense’ than their Northern counterparts.
He made the comments after scrapping plans to march on Dublin because his protest clashed with a Leinster rugby match at the RDS and a gig by baby faced singer Ed Sheeran at the O2.
Police had told Frazer of their concerns at manning levels due to the clash.
The loyalist leader later said he accepted their proposals but would try to find an alternative date for the protest, possibly as early as Monday.
As trouble continued in Belfast, Frazer even claimed: “From my talks with the police in Dublin I can see that they have more common sense than our own force in Northern Ireland.
Read more: Rubber bullets fired by Belfast police in worst violence of 15 years
“We still plan on raising our concerns with Enda Kenny and we could still visit Dublin next Monday.”
Frazer had previously claimed that he would bring three bus-loads of protesters to the Irish parliament to demand the removal of the Tricolour.
The Dublin flag protest was planned after weeks of rioting in the North over the decision to limit the flying of the Union Flag at City Hall in Belfast.
Last week Frazer said: “We are continually told that things have moved on and we are living in a shared space. If we’ve to take our flag down then take your flag down in Dublin.”
Dissident Republicans have threatened to disrupt any loyalist protest in Dublin planned by Frazer who previously organised the disastrous Love Ulster rally in Dublin in 2006.
A Continuity IRA spokesman said: “Loyalists need to think twice about marching in this city. We won’t tolerate it.”
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IrelandNorth | Jan 12, 2013, 03:54 AM EST
Seamor! True - to a point! Many years ago as a mature student at college in Dublin, I recall a sociology lecturer claiming that the lower ones class in the social hierarchy the more locally one identifies. Yet, this doesn't seem to hold true for working class loyalists in Belfast? Most people are ego centric and self seeking bar one or two exception like Mother Theresa, Mathatma Ghandi or Saint Francis of Assissi. My own guess is that the average schmuck is patriotic to wherever they stache their loot. Working class Dubliners, being Credit Unionists, generally consider themselves either Dubliners or Irish, usually in that order. Whereas, the Dublin 4 Saint Judas confraternity consider themselves European (Swiss) first, and probably Caymen Islanders second, after where they stach their 32 second temple shekels.
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Seanmor | Jan 11, 2013, 11:54 PM EST
Many residents of the Southern Irish state increasingly consider themselves Europeans first and Irish second, if atall. Such people have at least one thing in common with the Loyalist in the North: Níl aon mheas ar bith acu ar theanga na nGael. Besides, they are largerly indifferent to the Tri-Colour and the Union Jack (which they consider the flag of the North, as an integral part of G.B.).
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IrelandNorth | Jan 11, 2013, 02:21 PM EST
One of the greatest disappointments was that reactionary republicans interfered with Jeffrey and Willie's Love Ulster parade down O Connell Street in 2006, playing into their hands by deliberatel intended kneejerkery. Even if Jeffrey and Wilie don't love ALL of Ulster, or love imperialism the more, the holy trinity of Franco-Irish republicanism is liberty, equality, and fraternity. Our currently estranged Ulster/NI first cousins should be at liberty come up from a provincial capitol to march and protest up in the national capitol. And we should be big and fraternal enough to treat them with equality. Never did like parochial republicanism. Let them protest and welcome them with iioen arms. We're big enough, ya know!
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Gordan Duggan | Jan 11, 2013, 01:21 PM EST
Go away Republicans and Loyalists with you threats and violence. Leave our capital city alone.
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darragh S | Jan 11, 2013, 12:07 PM EST
That could of ended up like Dawn of the Dead, well done Garda.
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pilib04 | Jan 11, 2013, 11:20 AM EST
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams TD, said people should ignore any Unionist protest that takes place south of the border. No one should raise a voice, or throw a stone, or counter protest, he said, adding that by considering coming to Dublin, Unionists acknowledge that this is a small island and that Dublin is part of the future.
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pilib04 | Jan 11, 2013, 10:35 AM EST
Gerry AdamsTD, has urged Dubliners to ignore any flag protest by Loyalists. I agree. All they desire is publicity. If their protest is completely ignored, it will be doomed a failure. Comments by the so-called CIRA are irresponsible and only play into the hands of the recreational rioters.
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ancavker | Jan 11, 2013, 09:12 AM EST
Funny how the loyalists insist
that the 26 counties has nothing
to do with norhern Ireland, and
yet they are bringing their
flag protest to the cpaital city of
a country that they claim they
want nothing to do with.
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IrelandNorth | Jan 11, 2013, 03:31 AM EST
He's quoted as having said that it's posponed, until Monday at the earliest. Only thing is, the Irish tricolour is only flown when the Dail or Seanad is sitting, ie a 32 hour week crammed into Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays ordinarily, with their clinics back home down the country over long weekends. Since he didn't know the flag wasn't flown on Saturdays, and doesn't seem to know it isn't flown on Mondays or Fridays either, he needs to hire a researcher to save him from any more faux pas. Equally, as I know from my army days, it's protocol to lower a national flag between the hours of sunset and sunrise every day, being considered disrespectful not to do so. As also to never let it touch the ground when doing either. (Or to superimpose supplementary motifs atop, like many mindlessly moronic soccer fans of two nations or states of my acquaintance, which irritates me no end.) Willie was apparently impressed in his dealings with our proto-national police force - Án Gárda Síochána na h'Éireann (ÁGSÉ)/(Guardians of the Peace of Ireland) above that of the provincial police force - the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)/(Án Serbhís Poílíní na Tuarscírt Éireann (SPTE). Just imagine how wonderfully splendiferous they would be as a truly amalgamated force serving the whole Island of Ireland. Do I anticipate provincial police forces in an provincially federated Ireland in future? An An Garda Siochana na Uladh - Mumhan - Laigheann - agus Chonnacha? Would save one of the Garda helicopters having to fly from Dublin down range to Belfast every evening to thermal image loyalist protesters.
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IrelandNorth | Jan 11, 2013, 03:23 AM EST
He's quoted as having said that it's posponed, until Monday at the earliest. Only thing is, the Irish tricolour is only flown when the Dail or Seanad is sitting, ie a 32 hour week crammed into Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays ordinarily, with their clinics back home down the country over long weekends. Since he didn't know the flag wasn't flown on Saturdays, and doesn't seem to know it isn't flown on Mondays or Fridays either, he needs to hire a researcher to save him from any more faux pas. Equally, as I know from my army days, it's protocol to lower a national flag between the hours of sunset and sunrise every day, being considered disrespectful not to do so. As also to never let it touch the ground when doing either. (Or to superimpose supplementary motifs atop, like many mindlessly moronic soccer fans of two nations or states of my acquaintance, which irritates me no end.) Willie was apparently impressed in his dealings with our proto-national police force - Án Gárda Síochána na h'Éireann (ÁGSÉ)/(Guardians of the Peace of Ireland) above that of the provincial police force - the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)/(Án Serbhís Poílíní na Tuarscírt Éireann (SPTE). Just imagine how wonderfully splendiferous they would be as a truly amalgamated force serving the whole Island of Ireland. Do I anticipate provincial police forces in an provincially federated Ireland in future? An An Garda Siochana na Uladh - Mumhan - Laigheann - agus Chonnacha? Would save one of the Garda helicopters having to fly from Dublin down range to Belfast every evening to thermal image loyalist protesters.
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Bocktherobber | Jan 10, 2013, 08:49 PM EST
Willie Frazer is a man who never came to terms with the pain of having a close relative murdered. He hasn't moved on like everyone else, and that's his personal tragedy. Besides that, even though he wishes to be a politician, he has little or no support. He's more to be pitied than hated.
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warrenpoint00 | Jan 10, 2013, 06:51 PM EST
Truth is someone told Willie that the flag of Ireland does not fly on Saturdays so Will would look foolish trying to remove a flag that is not there.In hindsight Willie was and is planning to take three bus loads of unionists to Dublin after all these years remembering that Mr Paisley said not an inch and never,never,never.Oh Willie
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cillowen | Jan 10, 2013, 06:47 PM EST
The Planted NIR-UKers are comical but then again maybe this is what was achieved by Peace Agreement and with joy exhibited by the southies at the queen's visit. The lovey dovy and in harmony Eire-UKers of today having cast off religion, sovereignty, such a notion is not too much of a stretch.
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seanomelb | Jan 10, 2013, 05:49 PM EST
jacob me boy!! do you really expect your silly point to be debated. I'v got the spoon if you have the pot.
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