Man arrested in Orange hall attack probe bailed

A man arrested in relation to one of four attacks on Orange halls over the past week has been released on bail.

An arson attack was carried out on an Orange hall in the Limavady area while graffiti was scrawled over three halls in the Lisburn area, Limavady police arrested a 24-year-old man in relation to an arson attack on a premises at Main Street, Ballykelly, at 5.50am on Sunday.

Someone had forced entry to the Orange hall and started a small fire which caused slight scorch damage.

A police spokeswoman said the male was arrested and later released on bail pending further inquiries.

Police said that between Friday night and Saturday morning graffiti was painted on a house-in the Lisburn Road area of Glenavy, Magheragall Orange Hall and Knocknadonna Orange Hall.

Graffiti was also painted on Fourscore Orange Hall in Crumlin on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Grand Lodge of Ireland said it had hoped "these sort of attacks and this form of intimidation had stopped".

"We are extremely saddened by this latest spate of attacks on our property right across Northern Ireland," a spokesman said.

"These halls are important buildings in their local communities and are used fay 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 targeting these premises and our way of life."

The spokesman repeated the organisation's position that the only way for people to react to sectarianism is to work with the police and ensure they get all the information they need to bring charges against those responsible. 24th March 2009 News Letter

Editors Morning View - News Letter dated 24th March 2009

Attack on Protestant lifestyle

The series of attacks on Orange halls in Co Antrim and Co Londonderry must be condemned by everyone. It is a direct attack on the Protestant way of life and its culture. The Protestant people of Northern Ireland took a severe battering during the Troubles. They must now be allowed to get on with their lives and be given the opportunity to play their full part in society without fear of violence or intimidation. The halls are used by many organisations in their local communities and play a significant role in areas where there is often a lack of other facilities.

The attacks are clearly designed to create tension and division in society and people should listen to the words of Drew Nelson, the Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, who said very clearly that the only way to react to these attacks is to work with the police to catch the culprits. Anyone who has any information about the attacks should go straight to the police.

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