Loyalist band slammed for 'offensive and unacceptable' mocking of Pope Francis
Footage of a loyalist band mocking the death of Pope Francis hours after he passed was "distressing" and "hurtful" according to Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood. The Alliance Party MP was speaking after footage emerged which appears to show the Pride of Knockmore Lisburn flute band playing the song No Pope of Rome while onlookers danced and cheered at various points around the route of the Apprentice Boys of Derry parade, which took place in Lisburn on Monday, reports Belfast Live. Among the lyrics of the song are the lines: "No Pope of Rome. No chapels to sadden my eyes, No nuns and no priests, No Rosary beads". Thousands of people lined the streets as the parade of over 50 bands made its way through the city, including DUP MP Carla Lockhart, Education Minister Paul Givan, Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley, and Stormont Speaker Edwin Poots. Responding to the footage, Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood said: "It is so distressing that this happened yesterday. It is really hurtful to many across our shared community in Lagan Valley and further afield. It is offensive and unacceptable at any time, but particularly on the day that the Pope passed away. "This is not behaviour that is representative of our town or indeed many of the bands participating, who do not want to be associated with this sort of completely unacceptable conduct and hate. I'm never away from Orange Halls and know many brilliant people who are engaged in charity work and building up communities. When people engage in completely unacceptable behaviour like this, it tarnishes it all, and people don't get to see the Good work being done - instead, they see headlines like this, which I know is as frustrating to those lodges and bands who are nothing but respectful as it is to me. "Lagan Valley is a shared community and we will push back against this sort of regressive intolerance. Everyone's culture should be shared and all views respected, but there never should be and never will be any place for hate in our shared homeplace and I know people from right across our community will join with me in that." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Comments (0)