DUP Councillor Adrian McQuillian has responded to comments made by newly elected Sinn Fein councillor Sean Bateson, over a banner in support of solider F which is being flown over Main Street in Garvagh.
Councillor Bateson has called for the immediate removal of the banner, saying;
“The banner proclaiming support for a murder suspect is not appropriate. The victims of Bloody Sunday deserve the truth just as much as any victim of the conflict.
The banner should be removed immediately.”
However Garvagh resident, former DUP MLA and newly elected Councillor for the area, Adrian McQuillian has responded to Bateson’s calls for the banners removal. Speaking about the Sinn Féin Councillors comments, Councillor McQuillian has said;
“I see it hasn’t took long for the young councillor to get to work nor has it taken him long to show his inexperience.
Might I remind him that it’s only a couple of weeks ago that he attended an ‘Easter Lily’ event in the Mayors parlour to commemorate their ‘patriot dead’!
Does he not think that his attendance at this didn’t cause upset and hurt to other nor indeed does he not understand the feeling of hurt that is felt by the Unionist community over the prosecution of a former soldier, soldier F, charged for doing his job under orders.”
A number of events have been organised in support of Solider F over the coming weeks including a mall rally to take place outside various media centres on Saturday 18th May and a protest on the night before in support of Veterans at the Tesco roundabout in Ballymena.
