Another rally to oppose the demolition of Belfast’s Boyne Bridge will also mark the 12th anniversary of the Union flag protests, organisers have said.
The event will take place at Belfast City Hall following a parade from Sandy Row on Saturday November 30 which will march city hall.
It will see attendees call for the halting of plans to demolish Boyne Bridge at Durham Street, close to the loyalist area.
It follows the ‘Save Sandy Row’ rally, which took place beside the now-closed off Boyne Bridge on Tuesday evening.
Around 200 people gathered to call for the bridge to be saved, and to highlight other issues facing the Sandy Row area, including a lack of social housing.
The existing bridge was built in the 1930s, but is said to contain within the structure the remains of a 17th century crossing known as Saltwater Bridge, which some claim was traversed by King William of Orange and his troops as they made their way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Tuesday’s rally was attended by Lambeg drummers and the Ulster First Flute loyalist band.
Translink is planning to create a new public square at the site of the bridge following the recent opening of Belfast Grand Central Station.
Durham Street has been closed for a 12-month period to allow the demolition of the bridge, but work has yet to start.
Last month a placard featuring the slogan ‘Touch this bridge beware’ alongside a crosshairs symbol, was removed from the Sandy Row side of the bridge by police who said they were investigating its appearance.
During Tuesday’s rally, organiser and Orangeman Billy Dickson called on Translink to scrap plans to dismantle the bridge.
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He said: “Unionist and Protestant communities are being hammered into the ground and we have to stand up. You can’t be on your knees all the time.”
In a social media post announcing the next rally, it was claimed the upcoming gathering would also mark the anniversary of the protests sparked by a vote by Belfast City Council in December 2012 to fly the union flag on designated days rather than all year round.
The vote led to months of disorder by loyalists, including riots, road closures, and threats made to politicians, while protestors also maintained weekly vigils at Belfast City Hall in the ensuing years.
The post on the Boyne Bridge Defenders Facebook page offered a “very big thank you” to attendees of Tuesday’s rally, and said the next event would see protestors depart Sandy Row at 12.30pm to make their way to the gates of City Hall.
“It will mark the 12th Anniversary of the Union Flag Protest, but will also focus on other issues that are of concern to Protestant and Unionist areas throughout the city,” the post said.
“The parade will stop for a short protest at the Boyne Bridge. We are looking for a few more bands to take part.”
An application for the November 30 parade has been made to the Parades Commission, with an expected 100 participants.