A protest this evening (Friday, April 30) in Coleraine organised by the Loyalist Collation has passed off peacefully.
Hundreds of participants took part in the protest march through Coleraine, after a post circulated on social media the weekend previous asking for the ‘entire Loyalist community and all Loyal Orders’ to come out in support.
The protest, which was unnoticed to the parades commission, was lead by a number of drums and flutes, as it made its way through the town centre where PUP Councillor Russel Watton laid a wreath before the crowd moved onto the Bridge Street area of the town.
Prior to the protest setting off, Councillor Watton told Causeway Coast community: “The message from Coleraine is we’re not accepting the protocol, we’re both accepting the border in the Irish Sea and we’re not accepting two-tier policing.
“It’s as simple as that.
“They can huff & puff all they want and do what they like, but we’ve been betrayed – people know they’ve been betrayed and it has to stop. Concessions to IRA/SF has to stop, concession after concession.”
When asked about the outcome of the NI protocol, the Councillor concluded: “The protocol smashes the Good Friday Agreement. Runs the coach and horse through it.
“The Unionists didn’t break the Good Friday Agreement, it was the British & Irish governments.”
