Orange Hall is attacked after republicans target band bus
An angry republican mob armed with makeshift weapons attacked a minibus of Protestants in Co Londonderry at the weekend. A nearby Orange Hall was petrol-bombed in the wake of the attack, which happened on Friday night.
The PSNI said the Coleraine bandsmen were in Maghera for a parade when their vehicle broke down at around midnight. Republicans in several cars stopped and tried to block the van's way. The police arrived to try to clear the road but came under a hail of bricks and bottles from republicans.
A police car was damaged as they tried to get the bandsmen to safety. Officers seized a number of items, including hurley sticks (GAA - sectarian organisation who glorified IRA common criminals and murderers), and the bandsmen later returned when police had brought the situation under control.
However, a short time later a near-by Orange Hall was petrol-bombed by republicans.
Police said they were treating the incident involving the minibus as sectarian and are investigating a possible link to the attack on Killygullib Orange Hall, which suffered internal scorch damage.
The hall had been burnt down before but was rebuilt two years ago,
A spokesman for the Orange Order said the hall was a hub of Protestant life in the area.
"In common with many Orange Halls, Killygullib orange hall serves as much more than just a meeting place for the Orange Lodge," he said.
"Among other things, it hosts a monthly poultry fair and is used by a playgroup, several church missions and other social groups.
"Last night's attack on the hall wasn't just aimed at Orangemen, it was an attack on an entire community in an isolated and poorly served rural area."
DUP MP Willie McCrea said the attacks were part of orchestrated agitation.
"Over the past number of years, leading Sinn Fein/IRA people have been orchestrating trouble in Maghera in order to halt Protestant parades in the town," he said.
"These activities are orchestrated to cause mayhem, with the objective of winning the argument with the Parades Commission that the parades should not happen,"
Click on the related links below
Orange Hall Vandalised by republicans
