THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Call for NI government to take ‘immediate and drastic’ action against disloyal citizens

Posted by Jim on August 7, 2020

From the News Letter, August 7, 1935

By Darryl Armitage Friday, 7th August 2020, 6:00 am

The Independent Loyal Orange Institution Demonstration makes its way along Main Street Portrush in 2006. Picture: Derek Simpson/Coleraine Times archives

On this day in 1935 the News Letter published in detail a manifesto which had been the Belfast County Grand Lodge of the Independent Loyal Orange Institution.

It read as follows: “That we, the Independent Orangemen of Belfast and district, call upon the Government of Northern Ireland to take immediate and drastic action to suppress all disloyal organisations in the Six Counties, as we are thoroughly convinced there are many members of these organisations at large whose sole object is to create a reign of terror and disorder, as evidenced by recent disturbances in Belfast.”

The manifesto continued: “We also ask the Government to make careful investigation of all Government departments to ensure that none but those who are loyal to the British Throne and Constitution are employed.” It further added: “We further strongly advocate that all known members of the Irish Republican Army who have come into the Six County area since the establishment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland be apprehended and deported as undesirable citizens.”

The manifesto concluded: “We, as an organisation, pledged to maintain and protect the Protestant religion, declare that we are determined to arouse Protestant opinion to such an extent that the subtlety and disloyalty of Romanists in our country be thoroughly exposed and counteracted.”