FLYING OF UNION FLAG ‘NOT A DISCRIMINATORY ACT’

Nationalist woman loses court bid

THE flying of the Union flag at courthouses and government buildings in Northern Ireland is not discriminatory, senior judges ruled yesterday.

They rejected claims by a nationalist woman that erecting it on designated days unlawfully denies her equal treatment.

Helen Mcmahon went to the Court of Appeal after a High Court judge dismissed her bid to secure a judicial review last year. She centred her case on the flag being flown at her local courthouse in Omagh, Co Tyrone, but widened her challenge to include all court and government buildings. But Mr Justice Horner said the flying of the flag on 15 days of the year over the courthouse “cannot be regarded as excessive or provocative”.

LEGAL CASE Union flag over Belfast City Hall

ORANGE Gemma’s hand