A DUP councillor has hit out out at a SDLP motion on the radicalisation of young men after linking it to the Drumcree dispute.

The motion by SDLP councillor Carl Whyte was brought to Thursday night's monthly meeting of Belfast City Council.

It stated: “This Council unequivocally condemns the recent knife attack and expresses its solidarity with those affected:

  • further condemns attempts to exploit this or any other serious crime to inflame racial tensions, spread hatred or justify violence against minority communities.
  • notes with alarm the growing challenge of far-right, misogynistic and xenophobic radicalisation among young men, and recognises that children and young people, as they develop their identity and seek belonging and purpose, can be particularly vulnerable to radicalisation.
  • recognises that many young men are drawn towards extremist ideas not through deep ideological commitment, but through a search for belonging, respect, identity and community, particularly where they experience isolation, disadvantage or poverty.
  • acknowledges the role that far-right radicalisation has played in racist violence and disorder in our city and expresses alarm at the disturbing rise in recorded hate crimes and incidents.
  • expresses concern that, without effective early intervention, more young men will be vulnerable to individuals and organisations which deliberately exploit grievance, alienation and insecurity to spread hatred and prejudice.
  • calls on the Executive Office and Department of Justice to develop a new, evidence-based approach to preventing radicalisation and supporting the de-radicalisation of young men, drawing on international best practice and developed in partnership with experts and practitioners in education, youth work and community development.
  • further calls for this approach to go beyond traditional forms of outreach and engage young people in the spaces where radicalisation increasingly takes place, including social media, online communities and gaming platforms.” 

DUP Alderman Dean McCullough rejected the motion and hit out at what he called 'misogyny' and 'hatred of prejudice' this week.

"This motion does not have the decency to name Stephen Ogilvie," he stated.

"This motion also mentions misogyny. I will tell you what misogyny looks like. Abusing, insulting and threatening women who happen to be unionist elected representatives, simply because you hate their politics.

"I was there alongside Carla Lockhart MP and Diane Dodds MLA. We required a police escort to walk to Cafe Nero for a cup of tea and coffee (last Saturday outside the High Court in Belfast). That is the very definition of misogyny. Why did the self-appointed champions of women's rights in this chamber intervene or does it not apply if it is a unionist?

"This motion also talks about spreading hatred and prejudice. Was it that when Brendan McKenna referred to the Orangemen as f*****s?

"Had the Orangemen been wearing orange lifejackets instead of orange sashes having just arrived here by boat or bus, Sinn Féin, SDLP or PBP wouldn't have blocked the road.

"There isn't enough polish in our stores to polish the brass necks of these parties."

Sinn Féin councillor Tomás Ó Néill thanked Councillor Whyte for a considerate and well-written motion that "most of us" recognise.

He said relating it to the Orange Order was stark given it is an organisation based on supremacy of one religion and one ideology.

Green Party Áine Groogan said members would be better focusing on the substance of the motion and not trying to relate it to other issues.

DUP councillor Tracy Kelly called for Councillor Whyte to define "far-right" in the motion.

Following a lengthy 40-minute debate, the motion was passed with 36 votes for and 16 against.