Holy Cross parents meet loyalist barrage of abuse

Loyalists residents continued their silent protest this afternoon as children returned home from Holy Cross Primary School in…

Loyalists residents continued their silent protest this afternoon as children returned home from Holy Cross Primary School in north Belfast.

This morning, loyalists whistled and shouted abuse at parents returning from Holy Cross Primary School.

Holy Cross protests
The walk to The Holy Cross Primary School along the Ardoyne Road

There were warnings the protest could last indefinitely unless talks get under way to try to end the stand-off.

Residents stayed silent as the children were given a police escort through the Protestant Glenbryn estate to the school gates.

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But as the parents returned to the neighbouring Catholic Ardoyne area, they were met with a noisy barrage of foghorns, alarms and whistles. There also were shouts of "Fenian scum".

Up to 100 loyalists stood silent, some holding placards, as they staged their noisy protest.

Unlike last week's tense and violent demonstrations, however, the sixth day of the protest passed off without incident, although there are fears it could flare up again.

With talks between loyalist residents and Secretary of State Dr John Reid delayed until tomorrow, up to 150 youngsters were escorted by their parents today.

Earlier Fr Aidan Troy, chairman of the Holy Cross board of governors, stressed the talks must take place as a matter of urgency. He said: "It's absolutely essential because if talks don't begin we could settle into the long haul. That's my main worry".

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The whole point of negotiations as put forward by Dr Reid is that the first step must be to engage at local level
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Fr Aidan Troy

Residents in the loyalist Glenbryn estate were due to meet Dr Reid today, but after one of their representatives could not attend the appointment was but back until tomorrow when US President Mr George W. Bush's special Northern Ireland envoy Mr Richard Haass is due in Belfast

Fr Troy called for no further slippage. "The whole point of negotiations as put forward by Dr Reid is that the first step must be to engage at local level".

The priest said the school protest was already becoming dangerously normal. "It's like a club where we get to meet each other every day. That's an awful situation," he said.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has its first full meeting since the summer break today, a session that is expected to be dominated by a debate on the Holy Cross row.

PA