AN Orange Order chaplain says he is shocked at being called to a
police interview over claims that bands played “the wrong hymns” at a
church parade in May.
Rev Mervyn Gibson has slammed the
process as “a waste of police time“ and described the original Parades
Commission determination — specifying which hymn should be played
passing a Catholic church in east Belfast — as “a stupid decision”.
Prior
to the annual Orange Widows’ parade along the Newtownards Road on
Sunday, May 1, the commission ruled that ‘Abide With Me’ was the only
suitable music for the stretch of road adjacent to St Matthew’s chapel.
However, the two bands involved played What a Friend We Have in Jesus and The World in Union in defiance of the determination.
The
breach has brought the No6 LOL District chaplain under police notice
and, according to the Rev Gibson, he along with the three other
signatories to the original parade application, will be attending
Musgrave Street PSNI station for a police interview under caution.
“Over
the next two nights, a detective inspector will be interviewing four
people from Ballymacarrett District for playing the wrong hymns,” Rev
Gibson said.
Describing the original ruling as “unnecessary and
unhelpful,” Rev Gibson added: “You are only allowed to play hymns or
marches on a Sunday anyway. There are no party tunes played on a Sunday
and there never has been.”
The police interview is the latest twist in a long-running spat between the Orange Order in east Belfast and the parades body.
Last
week, the News Letter reported that the Parades Commission had written
to the Presbyterian Church over remarks made by the clergyman’s lodge.
The complaint followed a statement from Ballymacarrett District likening the commission to the “Taliban religious police”.
After
details of the complaint emerged, an Orange Order spokesman said any
approach should have been made to the lodge rather than the church, and
added “soon they will be restricting the words we use in our prayers”.
Speaking yesterday, Rev Gibson accused the Parades Commission of “hampering community relations” in east Belfast.
“This
year we are being told there will be no music played on the Twelfth at
all between Susan Street and Bridge End. That has never been imposed
before. This is draconian and taking it up to a new level.”
A
spokesman for the Parades Commission said: “If there are breaches of the
determination it is a matter for the police and public prosecution
service. The notifications are in statute and it’s enough if they’re
breached for the police to act on it.”
A PSNI spokesman declined
to comment on the investigation concerning Rev Gibson but confirmed the
force had “a responsibility to police a Parades Commission
determination” and that “any such parade or protest is policed
appropriately and proportionately”.
The spokesman added: “It is up
to the Parades Commission to determine if there has been a breach of
any determination and, if this is the case, police will investigate and
carry out all necessary inquiries accordingly.”