Disturbances broke out during the contentious parade in Belfast city centre in which seven police officers have been injured. The disturbances started after loyalist band defied a ruling by a parades watchdog and marched past a catholic church on August 25, 2012.
The Young Conway Volunteers band were banned by the Parades Commission from marching past St. Patrick’s Church on Donegall Street. One of the officers has been taken to the hospital but none of the officers are seriously injured.
The ruling was made by the Parades Commission after the Shankill ORad based band was seen circling outside the same church as they played a contentious song on July 12, 2012. The Young Conway Volunteers at that time said that it was pure chance that they had come to a halt there.
The band had also claimed that it wasn’t playing the Famine song which is an anti-Irish song which originated in Glasgow. The other bands which have also been restricted playing a single drum beat on Saturday, breached the commission’s ruling. The bands have been taking part in the Royal Black Institution parade. The commission on August 25, 2012 said that any breach in the determination would be a matter for the police to investigate.
