Parties divided on Ballymena parade: Irish News - Barry McCaffrey

SINN Fein and the DUP clashed last night over a parade planned for Ballymena, Co Antrim. Around 1,500 loyalists and 50 bands are due to march through the mainly Protestant town on Saturday week. However, in recent years Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both called for the parade to be re-routed from mainly Catholic bars on William Street. It also passes close the scene where Catholic teenager Michael McIlveen was beaten to death by a loyalist gang in May 2006. Tensions in the north Antrim area are already high after clashes between nationalists and loyalist bandsmen in the nearby village of Rasharkin on July 12. Sinn Fein assembly member Daithi McKay said it is mainly people from the nationalist community who socialise in William Street. “We have met the Parades Commission and asked them to place restrictions to ensure that bands... [read full story]