Police call for calm as threat issued to Belfast schools

This is just disgusting!

Police have confirmed they are investigating reports of a threat allegedly issued by a loyalist paramilitary group to Catholic schools in north Belfast.

A man claiming to be a representative of the Red Hand Defenders group contacted the Irish News on Friday to say “military action” would begin on Monday morning if the parents, pupils and staff of three Catholic schools in north Belfast did not take the threat seriously.

The man is said to have made it clear parents, pupils and teachers are not welcome at the three schools which he added were in “Protestant, unionist and loyalist areas”.

What kind of cowardly scum threatens children, parents and teachers! Anyone who supports this kind of intimidation is utterly vile!
Police say that investigations into this are ongoing but at this stage there is no evidence to corroborate the threat ( although the guy used a known codeword when calling it in ) and they are urging people to maintain calm.
If this was just an empty threat from a sick loner then we would expect to hear the 'red hand defenders' withdraw/deny this statement, but as yet im hearing nothing.

Scumbags! this kind of crap really angers me! The majority of people here in Northern Ireland have moved on and want a united peaceful future without crap like this, these bitter, small-minded cowards are still coming out of the woodwork to threaten children and incite hate!

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This apparent growing ressurgence in things there couldn't have been at all encouraged by this, could it?

“If towns remain divided—if Catholics have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs, if we can’t see ourselves in one another and fear or resentment are allowed to harden—that too encourages division and discourages cooperation,” the US president said.

Source

I was beside myself in utter disbelief the day I heard him actually say those words in a land still stained with decades of blood from that very issue...obviously, FAR from over in many minds. It seemed like mixed messaging in the worst way, in a very dangerous situation.

I hope our goofy fool didn't add to things by sprinkling a little gas over the fires of religious war up there. It's been nice to hear nothing much newsworthy about the IRA and Northern troubles for many years.

reply to post by wrabbit2000


I went to a catholic primary school then did five years in a mixed religion secondary school in my teenage years. I do agree that it is good to integrate people, there is many many youth projects all over Northern Ireland that bring young people from both sides together for sports/leisure/travelling opportunities. I think him making the assumption that this has a lot to do with what school you go to is a bit ridiculous, i'm an atheist and even I believe that you cant expect people to just ignore their faith and teachings, the problem isn't what school you go to its more about parents bringing up their children with the same attitudes that they had during the 70's, 80's and 90's even, teaching children to hate the other side as they did. those people and the ones who want to continue to use violence are the problem.

Yeah its been very quiet the last few years, in a good way, just a shame there is still those intent on stirring things up.

I won't pretend to understand what's still going on between the Catholics and the Protestants (if that's what it even is.) I used to work with a fellow who came here from Ireland. One day I made a comment about the IRA (don't remember what) and he freaked out. Would not discuss it at all.

I do believe that when people (not just countries) go to war collateral damage makes no difference. Sometimes civilian mayhem is the very point they are making. Don't say I understand them, just making an observation.

Originally posted by wrabbit2000
This apparent growing ressurgence in things there couldn't have been at all encouraged by this, could it?

“If towns remain divided—if Catholics have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs, if we can’t see ourselves in one another and fear or resentment are allowed to harden—that too encourages division and discourages cooperation,” the US president said.

Source

I was beside myself in utter disbelief the day I heard him actually say those words in a land still stained with decades of blood from that very issue...obviously, FAR from over in many minds. It seemed like mixed messaging in the worst way, in a very dangerous situation.

I hope our goofy fool didn't add to things by sprinkling a little gas over the fires of religious war up there. It's been nice to hear nothing much newsworthy about the IRA and Northern troubles for many years.

Yes.. I believe that comment is, to this day, the most ignorant thing any American president has ever said to a foreign people. Just... amazingly stupid..