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Another Orange Hall attacked

In an increasingly organised series of attacks, yet another Orange Hall was recently seriously damaged at Kilmore near Lurgan. Kilmore Orange Hall has previously been destroyed by arsonists in 1991 and 2006. In what was obviously a pre-planned operation, the person’s responsible first destroyed CCTV cameras at the Hall before proceeding to climb onto the roof, removed roof tiles and pouring a substantial amount of flammable liquid into the hall before setting it alight.

Kilmore Orange Hall, like its many hundreds of Counterparts throughout Northern Ireland, is used as premises and a base for many local community groups. A Youth Club and a band as well as the Orange Lodge and Royal Black Preceptory Lodge are among those groups affected. It is not apparent if the damage to the facilities will stop them being able to be used by the community in the immediate future.

Over 28 attacks on Orange Halls have already been documented this year, with additional minor attacks including graffiti and minor damage rarely getting media attention (see appendix attached)

An Orange Order spokesman in speaking about the latest incident stated “Someone must know who is carrying out these attacks on our premises across Northern Ireland. They have a moral responsibility to pass on that information to the police.”

“This is yet another attack on Protestant culture and our way of life. We call upon anyone with the slightest piece of information to contact the police and help them find the culprits,” he said.

The Orange Order representative also made it very clear that attacks in retaliation for the fire where not welcome, and despite the deep anger, hurt and resentment among many, appealed for no-one to lower themselves to the standard of the individuals responsible.

List of Attacked Orange Halls 2009 (incomplete):-

8/02/2009 Drumlee Orange Hall, Ballymoney
22/03/2009 Ballykelly Orange Hall, Limavady
31/03/2009 Clifton Street Orange Hall, Belfast
11/04/2009 Rasharkin Orange Hall, Ballymoney
27/04/2009 Drumlee Orange Hall, Ballymoney
/06/2009 Carrickawilken Orange Hall, Darkley
/06/2009 Cladybeg Orange Hall, Newtownhamilton
/06/2009 Greencastle Orange Hall, Newtownabbey
/06/2009 Newcastle Orange Hall
04/07/2009 Rasharkin Orange Hall, Ballymoney
04/07/2009 Clifton Street Orange Hall, Belfast
/07/2009 Watlebridge Orange Hall, Newtownbutler
05/07/2009 Glarryford Orange Hall
06/07/2009 Tullaghans Independent Orange Hall, Ballymoney
08/07/2009 Greencastle Orange Hall, Newtownabbey
14/07/2009 Dunloy Orange Hall, Ballymoney
23/07/2009 Derryadd Orange Hall, Lurgan
30/07/2009 Kilmore Orange Hall, Lurgan

BPP COMMENT: This is nothing less than ethnic cleansing. Why are the papers and TV stations not making more of stories like this? We doubt if they'd be so silent if it were GAA halls being targeted. Does an Orange meeting have to be broken up by a pipe bomb and someone murdered before something is done to protect these halls which are, in many cases, the centre of the community? The average Orange Hall in Uster offers a whole host of activities for the local community. They are a central hub for many communities, especially in rural areas, and are an integral part of society. Between the years 1971 and 1988, when the IRA's terror campaign was in full swing, there were a mere FOUR attacks on Orange halls during this bloody period. These 'dissident republicans' now seem to be taking out their revenge for losing the war on the most defenceless in the Loyalist community, namely unguarded buildings. Anti-Protestant ethnic cleansing by the 'Real IRA' (or whatever name they choose to use this week) shoud no longer be tolerated.