Police meeting with DUP over Rasharkin parade
17 Aug 2010
Earlier today senior Police officers met with a delegation from the DUP to discuss the parade in Rasharkin and how community representatives can assist police by working to calm tensions in the area.
Commenting on the meeting a police spokesperson said
"It is the Parades Commission’s responsibility to make a determination on all notified parades and protests. The police have a responsibility to police a Parades Commission determination and any such parade or protest will be policed appropriately and proportionately.
We will facilitate the right of people to parade, lawfully and peacefully. We will facilitate the right of people to protest, lawfully and peacefully. And we will facilitate the right of those who neither want to parade nor protest but to go about their everyday business with the minimum of disruption.
Those who take part in parades and protests have responsibilities as well as rights. We would urge all involved to respect the rights of others and we would appeal to them to do all in their power to ensure that the event passes off peacefully.
Police work tirelessly with protest and parade organisers to reduce the likelihood of any tensions and disorder and we will continue to do this."
