THE loyalist response to the decision by Belfast City Council to fly the Palestine flag over Belfast City Hall was entirely predictable.
On Monday evening Sinn Féin, SDLP, the Greens, People Before Profit and Independent Paul McCusker backed the motion to fly the flag of Palestine to mark the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the People of Palestine. The proposal was passed by 32 votes to 28. The flag had been due to fly the previous Saturday but was delayed after Council received legal advice on the issue.
However, within hours of Monday’s decision loyalists were back in the High Court trying and failing to get the democratic decision overturned.
On Tuesday evening during a loyalist protest at the flying of the flag there were violent clashes between rival groups.
As usual the loyalist reaction to decisions taken at Belfast City Council was predicably depressing. However, it needs to be taken in context. Forty years ago tens of thousands of loyalists were on the streets campaigning against the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Thirty years ago loyalists blocked roads and brought the North to a standstill over the Drumcree parade stand-off. Just over ten years ago thousands of loyalists protested widely over the union flag being taken down at Belfast City Hall in another democratic vote.
This week the tiny loyalist protests that have accompanied the flying of the Palestinian flag at City Hall and the drama at the High Court have been largely ignored by the unionist community. While the DUP are nerviously looking over their shoulders at the TUV, this week’s latest sham fight is a clear illustration of how far removed the main unionist parties are from the rest of society, instead following blindly the Pied Piper of Donaghadee.
Those parties who voted for the flying of the Palestinian flag over City Hall proclaim that they are on the right side of history. It is hard to argue against that sentiment. So how is it that the DUP and TUV on Belfast City Council are so blind to the ongoing tragedy that is occuring in Gaza when it is clearly not an Orange and Green issue but one of humanity?
Outside the High Court on Tuesday DUP MLA for North Belfast Philip Brett said with a straight face: “We have been at the forefront of standing up for minority rights in this city. We will not have an Irish language policy imposed on the people of Belfast or flags of foreign countries flown above our City Hall.”
If he was indeed standing up for “minority rights in this city” then the DUP would be supporting an Irish language policy for Belfast.
This week is another illustration that unionism has not come to terms with the fact that it is no longer a majority in the city and has made the decision that every day will be a battle. It is a flawed position to take and one that lacks any vision to create a better Belfast for all of the people.
And it will not serve unionism well.
