March organiser condemns 'sectarian hatred'

The organiser of Saturday's planned "Love Ulster" said today he was disappointed at what he called the "the sectarian hatred …

The organiser of Saturday's planned "Love Ulster" said today he was disappointed at what he called the "the sectarian hatred and bitterness" shown in Dublin at the weekend.

Speaking on RTÉ radio this afternoon, Willie Frazer said the protesters were "animals baying for the blood" of the marchers adding that there were women on the march who would never again set foot across the Border.

Mr Frazer, who lost several members of his family during the Troubles, said the rally was "a genuine move by the people who had suffered at the hands of terrorism to move forward".

He added: "There was no Orangemen there, but there were bands who had people murdered who were belonging to them.

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He said republicans are "not content with just murdering people, they want to murder their families as well".

Mr Frazer dismissed Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams's condemnation of Saturday's violence and claimed the riot was "well orchestrated" by republicans.

He said republicans had claimed Dublin to be a multicultural city, only it wasn't so for "Protestant culture".

When asked about comments attributed to him in the past about the use of violence, he said he would not support the idea of someone going out to shoot an IRA man but would be a hypocrite if he said he condemned someone who did it.

"Does it really matter what I said a few years ago?" he asked.

Éanna Ó Caollaí

Éanna Ó Caollaí

Iriseoir agus Eagarthóir Gaeilge An Irish Times. Éanna Ó Caollaí is The Irish Times' Irish Language Editor, editor of The Irish Times Student Hub, and Education Supplements editor.