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New Development in Northern Ireland Union Flag Protests Emerges
A potential new development has emerged in the flag protests that have been happening across Northern Ireland over recent weeks. The protests have been ongoing since the 3 December 2012 when Belfast City Council voted to fly the Union Jack flag at Belfast City Hall on designated days only.
Last night the Ulster People’s Forum, a group representing some of those involved in the protests issued a statement online which said:
"The Ulster People's Forum (UPF) have a consensus that those who took part as representatives of their various areas on Saturday feel that the peaceful protests should move to a new phase of white line protests and also localised protests outside council offices to coincide with monthly meetings in each respective area,"
"The UPF feel this move to white line protests is a positive step which has been born out of calls for leadership from the grassroots protestors and we feel that we have the beginning of a process that will provide a strategy for moving forward."
The move to “white line” protests would come as welcome relief to motorists and citizens in Northern Ireland many of whom have been inconvenienced by road blocks in recent weeks. It is understood that “white line” protests involve protesters standing down the middle of the road, allowing the traffic to flow in both directions, as opposed to blocking the road by standing across it. However, it remains unclear this evening if the proposals will be adopted by all protesters as a demonstration this evening in Belfast at the Newtownards Road was not a white line protest.
Meanwhile it has emerged that the Police Service of Northern Ireland plan to ask the policing board in Northern Ireland for extra resources. A figure of 300 new officers over the next two to three years has been mentioned to deal with continuing public disorder, the serious threat from dissident republicans and organised crime. This year alone will be a busy year for the Police Service of Northern Ireland with the country hosting the G8 summit in County Fermanagh as well as the World Police and Fire Games and the policing of the annual July marching season in Northern Ireland.
By CNN iReporter Johnny McGinley, 31 January 2013.
Last night the Ulster People’s Forum, a group representing some of those involved in the protests issued a statement online which said:
"The Ulster People's Forum (UPF) have a consensus that those who took part as representatives of their various areas on Saturday feel that the peaceful protests should move to a new phase of white line protests and also localised protests outside council offices to coincide with monthly meetings in each respective area,"
"The UPF feel this move to white line protests is a positive step which has been born out of calls for leadership from the grassroots protestors and we feel that we have the beginning of a process that will provide a strategy for moving forward."
The move to “white line” protests would come as welcome relief to motorists and citizens in Northern Ireland many of whom have been inconvenienced by road blocks in recent weeks. It is understood that “white line” protests involve protesters standing down the middle of the road, allowing the traffic to flow in both directions, as opposed to blocking the road by standing across it. However, it remains unclear this evening if the proposals will be adopted by all protesters as a demonstration this evening in Belfast at the Newtownards Road was not a white line protest.
Meanwhile it has emerged that the Police Service of Northern Ireland plan to ask the policing board in Northern Ireland for extra resources. A figure of 300 new officers over the next two to three years has been mentioned to deal with continuing public disorder, the serious threat from dissident republicans and organised crime. This year alone will be a busy year for the Police Service of Northern Ireland with the country hosting the G8 summit in County Fermanagh as well as the World Police and Fire Games and the policing of the annual July marching season in Northern Ireland.
By CNN iReporter Johnny McGinley, 31 January 2013.
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