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Orangemen in East Belfast have made an official complaint
to the Police Ombudsman about what they describe as "intrusive
surveillance and harassment" by the PSNI.
They say that at least four police vehicles containing officers
with hand-held video cameras targeted members of Orangefield
Temperance L.O.L 1974 during their annual church parade on
Sunday (12 June) from Templemore Avenue to Westbourne Presbyterian
Church on the Newtownards Road. Orangemen were filmed getting
in and out of their cars and registration numbers were recorded.
Raymond Spiers, Master of No 6 Ballymacarrett Orange District,
who attended the event, said: "This was a small church
parade involving just 150 people including the band. It was
entirely peaceful with no protestors, and yet the PSNI chose
to swamp the area with officers and more video cameras than
I've ever seen before.
"The police deployment was way over the top. Their presence
was heavy-handed and intrusive. I can only suppose that by
cruising the streets filming individual Orangemen before and
after the parade itself they were trying deliberately to intimidate
us. If so, it's backfired: people in East Belfast are really
angry at the PSNI's decision to step up their harassment ahead
of the Twelfth.
"Instead of acting as the Parades Commission's poodle
and bullying a few peaceful church-goers, Sir Hugh Orde should
be using his officers to tackle the really serious crimes
that continue to plague the Province."
In addition to complaining to the Police Ombudsman, the Orange
Order has also raised the issue with East Belfast DUP MP Peter
Robinson and UUP MLA Sir Reg Empey and asked them to investigate
policing tactics in the area.
"The level of police surveillance we saw on Sunday was
absolutely staggering," said Mr. Spiers. "One has
to wonder if Peter Hain and the Northern Ireland Office have
opted to use the PSNI to declare war on the Protestant people
of East Belfast."
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