Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Masked man takes aim at march with ‘machine gun’ in sinister clip
Pair held after Orange parade ‘threat’
A VIDEO has emerged that appears to show a man aiming a gun at marchers during an Orange parade.
The threat is alleged to have taken place on Sunday evening at an event in Randalstown, Co Antrim, which included a number of children.
Footage online shows a man in paramilitary-type clothing aiming what appears to be a machine gun at the parade through a window of a house.
Another film includes a man beside the parade shouting pro-ira slogans.
Democratic Unionist MP Paul Girvan hit out at the footage.
He said: “This is a deeply disturbing display of hate and intolerance aimed towards those participating in the Randalstown District parade.
“This was made up of Orangemen, women and young children, making their way to and from a church service.
“It is beyond comprehension that someone would be so warped as to dress themselves up in paramilitary attire and aim what appears to be a firearm at those on parade.
“Such hate cannot go unchallenged and it must be investigated by the PSNI.
“It should be relatively simple to identify the house in which this was recorded.
“Police must carry this out as a matter of urgency given the likely presence of a firearm at the property.
“There are also other videos in circulation showing a man walking beside the parade and shouting ‘Up the Provos’, ‘Victory to the IRA’ and various expletives.
“Unfortunately this is simply the latest in number of incidents over recent days. Such incidents must not only be condemned by everyone, but identified as being motivated by sectarianism and hatred.”
Last night, police said a man, 35, and a 53-year-old woman were being questioned following a house search on Station Road in Randalstown.
They added: “The pair have been arrested on suspicion of a number of offences and have been taken into custody for questioning.
“A number of suspicious items have been located by officers as a result of the search at the scene and Station Road has been cordoned off to allow ATO to fully examine the items.”
Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann hit out at the “shocking hate crime”. He said: “A perfectly peaceful and lawful church parade was sufficient to prompt a sad and twisted individual to display his sectarian bigotry by dressing in paramilitary clothing and brandishing what is hopefully a replica rifle from inside the safety of a living room.
“The fact he pointed it at children passing by makes it all the more sickening. Fortunately, he was stupid enough to post his sectarian hatred online.”