Man wearing Soldier F t-shirt at Apprentice Boys parade in Londonderry spoken to by police
Ulster Unionist chief Doug Beattie has condemned the presence of a ‘Soldier F’ T-shirt on the Apprentice Boys parade in Derry on Saturday.
image of a person carrying the garment with “Stand With Soldier F” printed throughout the again circulated on social media during the last 24 hours.
“No Apologies, No Give up,” the print additionally reads.
It’s understood the person was denied entry to a lodge bar on account of his selection of apparel.
A PSNI spokesperson mentioned officers had been within the space on the time and have become conscious of the incident.
“Officers spoke with the person and suggested the fabric/wording might result in a possible breach of the peace,” they added.
“The matter was subsequently resolved.”
Former Parachute Regiment member Soldier F is presently being prosecuted for homicide and tried homicide on Bloody Sunday in 1972 when 14 civil rights demonstrators had been shot useless by the Military.
Writing on social media on Sunday morning, Mr Beattie slammed the behaviour.
“There are some individuals who exit of their method to be hurtful and spiteful,” he tweeted.
“There’s merely no must this.”
Elsewhere, SDLP chief Colum Eastwood additionally took to Twitter on Saturday night time to specific disappointment and make his ideas clear.
“The folks of Derry have led the way in which in accommodating the Apprentice Boys parades,” he wrote.
“It’s not been straightforward and has meant all sides have needed to stretch themselves.
“This nonsense is intentionally offensive and has no place in our metropolis.”
1000’s of Apprentice Boys and 26 bands marched within the annual Lundy parade on Saturday to commemorate the seventeenth century siege of the town.
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A number of thousand Apprentice Boys participate within the annual Lundy parade in Derry. Pacemaker.
It culminated with the burning of an effigy of Lt Col Robert Lundy, higher referred to as Lundy the Traitor.
A service of thanksgiving and a wreath-laying ceremony additionally happened.
Talking earlier than the parade, Apprentice Boys governor Graeme Stenhouse mentioned the entire organisation was trying ahead to “an important day of the 12 months within the calendar” which he vowed can be peaceable and respectful.
“We at all times encourage our membership and supporters to conduct themselves within the correct method,” he added.
“We imagine that if we’re respectful in the way in which that we conduct our enterprise then we are going to get respect from the nationalist group.”
Lundy, former governor of Derry, is a hated determine amongst unionists due to his provide to give up to the Jacobite military, which was considered treachery.
The annual march commemorates the 13 apprentices who locked the walled metropolis’s gates in opposition to the approaching military of the Catholic King James II in December 1688 – referred to as the Shutting of the Gates.
Greater than 10,000 lives had been misplaced within the Siege of Derry which lasted 105 days.