Monday 23 March 2009

GRAND LODGE CONDEMNS SPATE OF ATTACKS

The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has condemned weekend attacks on Orange Halls in different parts of Northern Ireland.
There was an attempted arson attack on Ballykelly Orange Hall in Co. Londonderry and republican graffiti was painted on three Orange Halls and a Protestant Hall in the Gleneavey and Lisburn area of Co. Antrim.
A spokesman for Grand Lodge said:
“We are extremely saddened by this latest spate of attacks on our property right across Northern Ireland. We had hoped these sort of attacks and this form of intimidation had stopped.
“These halls are important buildings in their local communities and are used by a wide range of groups which include the Orange Order, local bands, church organisations and other cultural and community groups.
“Clearly there are people in the community who want to create tension and division by targetting these premises and our way of life.
“As we have said many times in the past, the only way to react to such sectarian attacks is to work with the police and ensure they get all the information they need to bring charges against the people responsible.“We would ask anyone who has the slightest information which could help the police, to get in touch with them immediately.”

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