Belfast City Hall Raises Union Flag

Spook_ie · 09-01-2013 10:26AM #1

Hip Hip Hurrah!
Hip Hip Hurrah!
Hip Hip Hurrah!

Well it is one of the designated days to fly the flag, so will it anger or placate the mobs?

http://news.sky.com/story/1035387/belfast-city-hall-raises-union-flag

The Union Flag has been raised on Belfast City Hall to mark the birthday of the Duchess of Cambridge, but it is unclear whether it will it help or hinder efforts to resolve the crisis over the emblem in Northern Ireland.

Five weeks have passed since the city's council voted to restrict the flying of the Union Flag to 19 designated days, such as royal birthdays, but tension surrounding the issue has continued unabated.

The east of the city witnessed disturbances for a sixth consecutive night - albeit on a reduced scale - but there is no such thing as an acceptable level of violence as far as the First Minister is concerned.

Peter Robinson told Sky News: "Many people have already distanced themselves from the protests because of the violence.

"When I hear those who purport to lead the protest talk about the Police Service of Northern Ireland as 'terrorists' or 'Nazis', they are not using the language of unionism, they are using the language of republicanism."
Belfast Tensions over the flag have sparked a series of disturbances in Belfast

Loyalists will welcome the fact that the Duchess's birthday is being marked in the traditional fashion, but they recognise that the return of the flag is only temporary - so far short of what they demand.

On one hand, it is about the flag - a potent symbol of their Britishness - but it is also about demographics. Protestants no longer hold sway in Belfast and some working class unionists have lost faith in politics.

Peter Robinson and Mike Nesbitt, the leaders of the two largest unionist parties, invited disaffected Protestants to raise their concerns through a forum, but protesters have already dismissed the effort.

The First Minister added: "Here is a mechanism whereby you can channel your frustration, where you can indicate the kind of things you want in your area, and political leaders will be listening.

"Now, if you offer a political alternative and people don't take it, then very clearly those are people who are against the process and against democracy."

The crisis has caused enormous damage to the image of Northern Ireland, scheduled to host the G8 Summit of world leaders in June, and a temporary hoisting of the flag is not going to resolve it anytime soon.

Amirani · 09-01-2013 10:29AM

"When I hear those who purport to lead the protest talk about the Police Service of Northern Ireland as 'terrorists' or 'Nazis', they are not using the language of unionism, they are using the language of republicanism."

Nicely done Robinson, genius comment to make. :rolleyes:

Dodge · 09-01-2013 10:29AM

Spook_ie wrote: »

Well it is one of the designated days to fly the flag, so will it anger or placate the mobs?

Looking forward to tomorrow's outrage already

grizzly · 09-01-2013 10:37AM

Samsung just showed they have the tech to display two images at once on a TV. Could this not be harnessed two simultaneously display both the Union flag and the Tricolor?

anncoates · 09-01-2013 10:38AM

It's depressing enough having one thread in AH about these fucking morons, let alone two.

gobnaitolunacy · 09-01-2013 10:41AM

"When I hear those who purport to lead the protest talk about the Police Service of Northern Ireland as 'terrorists' or 'Nazis', they are not using the language of unionism, they are using the language of republicanism."

Way to alienate the other section of society (more so), foot in mouth disease.

Leftist · 09-01-2013 10:44AM

what a shower of sad people.

this is what happens when you base your whole life around a man made idea.

mike65 · 09-01-2013 10:47AM

They need jobs. Idle hands/minds and all that. Obviously not public sector jobs though as the idle minds will remain!

Happyman42 · 09-01-2013 10:48AM

NiallSparky wrote: »

Nicely done Robinson, genius comment to make. :rolleyes:

Extraordinary that he got away with roundly blaming the Alliance, SDLP and SF for this on UTV Live last night, while conveiniently ignoring his own party's stoking of the fire with their obscene leaflets.