Northern Ireland Marches, should they ban them?

[Bobbisox]

Watching MW this morning and was /am interested in peoples take on this, would banning such marches create even more violence?
Is it not time to forget something that took place over 300 years ago? and try to move forward.

[emmie]

The marches will go on, and the police will not be able to stop them, only more of them getting seriously injured. Complex question, not easily answered

[RATTER15]

Bobbi, they have already forgotten, they have moved on, they have moved towards violence for the sake of violence, protest for the sake of protest.

They will never be happy until thousands more are dead and probably not even then.

Don't you love all these Christians getting on so well together. Love thy neighbour and all that.

Makes me sick.

[DrFilth]

bobbi if you ban them marching you will have to ban all marches

don't forget these marches were agreed under the good friday agrement

[Bobbisox]

yes I know that Dr Filth but each July the Province suffers this violence, perhaps a curfew the night before to stop the bonfires and petrol bombs being hurled at Police?

[Bobbisox]

I don't hear of extreme violence for St Patricks Day...where???

[jackthehat]

It's not the violence........it's the event.

Remove something from the Protestants and to be even handed you have to remove something from the Catholics......and *neither* side are prepared to give up something they consider to be part of their identity and heritage.....this is one reason why the GFA essentially ignored the issues of the marches, etc. as it was a point that was *never, ever, ever* going to be successfully negotiated away and so it was simpler to quickly agree that they could remain; and then on to the next point on the agenda.

[THECORBYLOON]

Each November, folk celebrate an event that took place 400 tears ago.

[Bobbisox]

with violence Corby?
ok, so what about a curfew the night before??

[DrFilth]

i may be wrong but i was on the understanding that some marches were stopped some re-routed, the ones left they all agreed could take place every year

[jackthehat]

The 12th July march is the culmination of the marching season which starts at the beginning of the month........a fortnight's curfew is a little draconian.

[Barmaid]

The difficulty is is in nationalist areas, the marches are viewed as triumphalist, intimidating and goading. However, the Orangemen see it as their right to march. I think banning the marches would mean that one group's beliefs are sacrificed for anothers and could potentially lead to more clashes. If you ban Orangemen marches, you also have to ban Catholic marches or in fact any form of large public congregational march or walk.

I think the tensions in Northern Ireland are extremely deep rooted and banning marches or imposing a curfew is not going to resolve the situation.

[Bobbisox]

of course I haven't researched it!!!!
I was merely asking people opinions on it

[Astonvanilla]

There are two communities in N.I and it is time they respected each others traditions, if people want to march they should be allowed to do so providing it is peaceful. The rioting is in the mainly National areas and the rioters are only inconveniencing their own people by hi jacking cars and burnings and stone throwing. Bus services have been taken off certain areas and the good law abiding people are suffering. The rioters should be identified and punished.

[Bobbisox]

a very informative answer BM, thank you

[Bobbisox]

I agree Aston, it has been said young children were in their homes terrified of what they could hear

[sammmo]

yes, it should be banned, anything that encites racial or religious hatred should be made illegal. ban these types of march and every march where violence is expected..