Celtic Supporters Bus Attacked in Glengormley During Parade

 

On the evening of Saturday 16th August 2003 I, along with fellow members of the band had gathered at the entrance of Glenvarna Estate, which sits on the staunchly loyalist Ballyclare Rd. We had gathered to take part in a flute band competition parade that had been organized by a local band from Old Mossley.Everyone there seemed to be in good spirits and looking forward to the parade and people were taking the opportunity to go and meet friends and acquaintances, before the parade started. With over thirty bands due to participate, there was a large crowd of spectators out to support the parade, many of whom had brought their children to watch and there was a friendly family atmosphere.

As people stood and chatted, their attention was drawn to a bus which was being driven down the Ballyclare rd, their attention being drawn to this bus, because of the noise being made by people on the bus, singing and stamping their feet. Most people assumed that it was another band that had arrived, who were merely enjoying a bit of a sing song on the bus, but as the bus drew closer, there was sheer astonishment to see a bus filled with Celtic supporters, singing republican songs, waving flags, and making obscene gestures to the gathered bandsmen, supporters and children. As they passed right in front of the crowd they could be seen banging the windows, taunting people trying to get a reaction from the crowd.

As the bus sped off towards the Loyalist Queens Park estate the bewilderment of what had just happened turned to anger and people asked Police officers present why a bus filled with Celtic supporters was allowed to travel through a Loyalist area, and why they were allowed to do this when there was a band parade on.

As people began to discuss what had just happened, they could not believe there eyes as a second bus from the same coach hire firm, again packed with Celtic supporters, travelled towards them. Again the people on the bus made obscene gestures to the crowd, only this time a small number of the crowd retaliated by throwing stones at the bus, smashing some of the windows. This still did not deter the people on the bus from continuing their gestures and they could be clearly heard shouting sectarian insults.

As a member of a loyalist flute band I believe people should be allowed to travel anywhere without fear of attack, as we know only too well how it feels to be on the receiving end these attacks. The big difference is that where possible we will try to avoid republican areas whilst travelling as a band, and have sometimes added an extra 30-40 miles to our journey to avoid places like Toome. Only recently we had to take an alternative route home from Dunmurray, because a republican Bonfire was being held close to the Westlink which is a major road through the heart of Belfast, and on the way onto the motorway at Yorkgate, had one of our windows smashed. So why were these busses allowed to travel down this road. Did the police officer who was stopping traffic at the top of the Ballyclare Rd. not think to send these busses in an alternative direction, and did the bus driver, who has now made an official complaint to the Police, not think he might get his bus damaged or endanger the lives of his passengers by travelling down this road, which, by the way, has red white and blue bunting from end to end and has a Union flag hanging from every lamppost. Surely they could not have been mistaken and thought it was republican area. And why, when this supporters bus normally travels through Mallusk, and enters Glengormley via the Hightown Rd. did they feel the need to change their travel arrangements, especially when their was a Loyalist band parade on.

Of course we now see why the bus took this route on an evening that a band parade was being held. after reading the B.B.C. news everything has added up and everyone is now aware of why this happened. Sinn Fein/ IRA terrorist Martin Meehan has been on to the B.B.C. to make sure the story was given some air time, and as usual the people at Ormeau Ave. are only too happy to accommodate Mr. Meehans needs.

Below is the report from the B.B.C.

Football bus 'pelted with stones'


Police are investigating an attack on a bus carrying football supporters on the outskirts of Belfast.
Sinn Fein councilor Martin Meehan said three buses full of Celtic fans returning from Scotland on Saturday night were driven into a loyalist parade on the Ballyclare Road in Newtownabbey.

He claimed one of the buses was attacked with stones.

"The third bus was slowed down by a police jeep in front to walking pace - the crowd then recognised there were Celtic supporters on the bus and quite a number of children," he said.

"The bus was viciously attacked and people were absolutely petrified while this incident took place.

"It was like the Ku Klux Klan had surrounded the bus."

Police have received an official complaint from the company which owns the buses.

They are appealing to anyone who was on the bus or who witnessed the attack to contact them.

As you can see, the B.B.C. were only too happy to accommodate Martin Meehans request that the story be given airtime, and of course failed to get a view of anyone who was attending the parade. So we now have an unbalanced story which is given only a republican slant. His claims that there were three busses, are untrue. His claims that the Police slowed the bus to a walking pace, is untrue. And for the police to ask for anyone who witnessed the attack to contact them surely means that the P.S.N.I. in Glengormley are having a major communication breakdown, as I'm sure at least ten of their officers witnessed the event.

I can only suggest that republicans knew this parade was taking place and made sure it would hit the headlines by organizing two busses of Celtic supporters to drive through it. As I have stated earlier, their bus usually travels a route which does not pass through a Loyalist area. The bus drivers could have been in no doubt , that they were passing through a loyalist area, and that the people in the busses provoked the attack, by making antagonistic and obscene gestures to the gathered loyalists.

I think these people got what they were asking for and fully deserved it.