An Orange arch in Newcastle has been destroyed in an
arson attack.
The arch at the entrance to the Orange hall at Causeway
Road in the seaside town was set on fire at 3.15am. It
was destroyed while the hall itself suffered minor scorch
damage.
An Orange Order spokesman said: "Obviously it's something
we deeply regret because at the end of the day it seems
to me that the arch is a very innocuous thing and why
anyone would want to attack it is beyond me.
"I imagine it's probably someone who is opposed to
Orangeism as a part of Ireland's rich heritage and culture."
Down Ulster Unionist councillor Gerry Douglas condemned
the early morning attack.
Mr Douglas said it was only the quick thinking of police
officers and fire service personnel that had saved the
Orange hall in the attack.
He told how the officers had pulled the burning arch away
from the hall otherwise it too would have been more seriously
damaged.
Mr Douglas said: "As a member of the lodge I was
there and helped the late Leslie Hanna build what was
a unique arch.
"It is heartbreaking to see it this morning.
"It is very sad. There is only one part of the arch
left - a painted sign saying, Honour all men."
Mr Douglas, who is a former County Master in the Orange
Order, said that the arch had been erected within the
grounds of the Orange hall for the past five years, rather
than on the street outside, due to stricter insurance
requirements.
