WHEN THE MASK SLIPS

      
       
          Mob violence . . . 
masked Donald Mercer  pictured leading the attack on police. 

A Garvaghy Road (Portadown) residents' leader pulls on a mask and attacks police - just days after peace talks with Mo Mowlan. 
The shocking photo shows Donald Mercer, hurling missiles at officers before the Drumcree march last year (1997). 
Days earlier he had joined a high-powered delegation from the residents' group which had "proximity talks" at Hillsborough Castle. 
Security cameras captured Mercer, of Garvaghy Park, leading a mob which pelted police with missiles. 
One shot showed him prowling the street with a rock in each hand.  He disappears but seconds later re-emerges wearing a makeshift mask before launching his attack. 
 

"The Sun" 30 June 1998

Gerard Rice, Spokesperson for the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community who oppose Orange parades on the Ormeau Road, Belfast.

Served four years imprisonment for membership of the I.R.A. and possession of arms (Sunday Life, 14th May, 1995).

In the Belfast Telegraph 27th March, 1997, Mr. Rice said "The L.O.C.C. would like to see an exhibition which presents the Orange Order's view of itself."

On 28th March 1998, Mr. Rice was among a republican crowd protesting outside an Orange Order cultural exhibition at Belfast's Waterfront Hall. The protest degenerated into serious verbal and physical assaults on people attending the exhibition.

IRA MAN' IS IDENTIFIED AS PROTEST CHIEF

The main figure behind Springfield Residents Action Group has been identified as Sean "Spike" Murray, a leading IRA member who has served time for explosives offences. 

Murray, from the lower Springfield Road area, was in control of a crowd of protesters opposing the Orange parade as it proceeded down Workman Avenue to cross the peace-line. 

Murray was found guilty in 1982 of possession of explosives with intent, possession of explosives in suspicious circumstances and of carrying out an act with intent of causing an explosion.  He appealed in 1983 but was unsuccessful. 

According to security sources, Murray and Frances McAuley were in the front line of protests. 

"They were under the same codes of conduct and guidelines as the Orangemen but they breached every article under these codes of conduct, including diverting from the route and refusing to co-operate with the police. 

"The protest was clearly shown to be orchestrated by these people and there were clearly  outsiders involved," said the source. 

News-letter 2 July 1998

.SENIOR PROVOS STIRRING ORANGE MARCH TROUBLE

Republicans believed to be behind recent opposition to Orange parades in Ulster, are planning to extend their campaign to middle class areas, it has been claimed. 

Residents in Glengormley, on the outskirts of Belfast, say senior Provos have visited the bourgeois commuter belt in an effort to kick-start local resistance to Orange marches. 

The move is consistent with Gerry Adams assertion at a recent Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, when he told supporters that his party were the driving force behind forcing Orangemen to re-route parades. 

It is understood both Gerard Rice of the Lower Ormeau Residents Group and Brendan McKenna, who speaks for the Garvaghy Road residents, have recently made contact with republicans living in Glengormley. 

Both Rice and McKenna have served jail sentences after being convicted of republican terrorist crimes. 

  Sunday World 11 May 1997

SINN FEIN 'ORCHESTRATED DRUMCREE DISTURBANCES'

Last nights RTE Prime Time programme alleged that Mr. Adams told a private republican conference last November in Athboy, Co. Meath, that the party was behind the protests on the Garvaghy Road, Portadown, the Lower Ormeau Road, Belfast and other areas. 

The Prime Time reporter, Justin O'Brien, said that the programme had a transcript of a speech made by Mr. Adams in Athboy. 

Mr. O'Brien said that a crucial part of Mr. Adams's speech read: "Ask any activist in the North did Drumcree happen by accident, and they will tell you 'no' ..... three years of work on the Lower Ormeau Road, Portadown, and parts of Fermanagh and Newry, Armagh and Bellaghy, and up in Derry". 

"Three years' work went into creating that situation, and fair play to those people who put the work in".  According to Mr. O'Brien, the Sinn Fein president concluded: "And they are the type of scene changes that we have to focus in on, and develop, and exploit." 

The Irish Times 5 March 1997

BRENDAN McKENNA - A PROFILE.

The chairman of Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition is a former republican prisoner. Aged 24, he was jailed for six years for his part in the 1982 I.R.A. bombing of the Royal British Legion Club, Portadown. 

Mr. McKenna received concurrent sentences for a fire-arms offence, false imprisonment and hijacking.  He was one of two masked men who held a Churchill Park family hostage for three hours while their car was stolen. 

Given his republican background, his involvement in the Coalition is seen as sinister, and an attempt by republicans to manipulate the parades issue. 

Belfast Telegraph 28 January 1997

COURT TOLD OF 'VICIOUS' ATTACK ON ORANGEMEN

A senior police chief has described to a court a "brief but quite vicious" incident when Orangemen were attacked by protestors during a pre-Twelfth Sunday Church parade in Keady, last year.

Supt. Blakely said the parade was due to start at 6.30 p.m. Immediately prior a group of protestors - he estimated 300 - who had assembled at St. Patrick's Street/Kinelowen Street, blocked the roadway.

Witness said he approached the protestors and spoke to Sinn Fein councillors Sean McGirr and Brian Cunningham.

Supt. Blakely explained: "They said the protestors wanted to register their protest by remaining on the road, blocking it, until the parade actually reached their point. They said the protestors would then fall back to the Monument."

The Supt. said he refused their proposal, informing them it was unacceptable and would create a serious public order issue. He told them the organisers of the parade were very keen it should pass off peacefully.

Eventually, said the police chief, a compromise was reached. When the parade started off from the Orange Hall, Cllrs. McGirr and Cunningham were to ensure that the protestors fell back to behind the Monument leaving a distance of 15-20 metres between them and the marchers.

Having reached the Monument there was some difficulty he said. According to Cllrs. McGirr and Cunningham the majority of the crowd did not want to fall back.

Supt. Blakely told the court there was a substantial number of civilian stewards and he was given the assurance they would link arms in front of the protestors to form a barrier.

He spoke of how when the tail of the parade was almost past one man managed to break between or under the stewards line and make towards a marcher whom he physically attacked.

"The line broke and a number of people attacked Orangemen" he said.

Supt. Blakely described the behaviour of the marchers as they passed as "impeccable". He said there was a brief but quite vicious melee, after the line broke, before order was re-established.

The officer said he advised Mr. McGirr that he had accepted the organisers assurances in good faith but was now of the opinion they were no longer in control of the protest.

One of the Orangemen attacked gave evidence of being punched in the face by a man who broke from the protestors.

"I was punched, I could feel myself being pulled and thumped. They were right round me, trying to pull me to the ground by the back of the neck and jacket. It was ripped".

He said he sustained nose and ear injuries and got a sore back.

A Reserve Constable recalled that, as the last dozen or so marchers approached the Monument, a man broke from the crowd and lunged at one of the Orangemen.

He alleged the attacker, who was about six feet tall, lunged with an arm and attempted to kick the Orangeman who was almost to the ground.

The Officer alleged he had heard one Orangeman called an "UDR bastard". There were shouts at two brothers about their father being shot.

The Orangeman, he said, had kept walking on.

THE ULSTER GAZETTE, 7th October 1999.

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