REPRESENTATIVES of the Garvaghy Road and Lower Ormeau Road residents' associations received heroes' welcomes last night at a protest rally in Derry.
Thousands packed the city's Guild Hall Square and applauded as Mr Brendan Mac Cionnaith of the Garvaghy Residents' Committee called for a boycott by nationalist politicians of the RUC.
The rally ended with a cheer for a motion calling for the resignation of Derry's mayor, Mr Richard Dallas of the Ulster Unionist Party, who participated in road closures in support of the Portadown Orangemen.
The SDLP has already given notice of a motion of no confidence in Mr Dallas.
Mr Mac Cionnaith said the events of the last week had exploded the myth that the RUC was reformable. "The RUC cannot be reformed. They have been trying to reform it since October 5th, 1968. The only thing for the RUC is its complete and utter disbandment."
Many nationalist representatives met the RUC through policing committees and other formal contacts, he said, but it was now time for them to boycott the force completely.
Mr John Gormley of the Lower Ormeau Residents' Association, quoted the words of Mr David Trimble when he said yesterday that Northern Ireland owed a debt of gratitude to the Portadown Orangemen.
In one sense he was right because at least the myth that Orange marches are cultural events has been exploded," he said.
"The parades are offences because of the inherently sectarian nature of the Orange Order itself.
We remain totally opposed to a single Orangeman setting a single foot on a single part of the lower Ormeau Road, until such time as the Orange Order reconciles itself to the nationalist community."
The SDLP's Ms Brid Rogers said the past week had proved three things: that unionist support for the law was conditional, there was one law for unionists and one for nationalists and the RUC was incapable of treating nationalists with justice and impartiality.
It had been a week of shame and disgrace for unionists and the British government, she added. But she was sad to come to Derry and see the cars and businesses of local people burnt out: "Why should we take our standards from the thugs of the first four days of this week?"
Rally organisers read a message from Mrs Teresa McShane, wife of Mr Dermot McShane, who died early on Sunday when run over by an army vehicle. She appealed to people not to "riot, damage property or hurt others in revenge for his death".
