PSNI investigates 'loyalist threats' to graves

PSNI officers are investigating reports of threats being made to cause damage to headstones at a cemetery in Co Antrim.

The threats were made at a loyalist protest in Newtownabbey yesterday where Catholics had gathered for the annual blessing of the graves ceremony at Carnmoney Cemetery.

The ceremony was delayed but was able to proceed after a short time.

Although the initial protest passed off peacefully, later in the day there were a number of disturbances during a second protest, which forced the closure of the O'Neill Road adjacent to the cemetery.

Parish priest Fr Dan Whyte, who carries out the annual blessing and was the subject of a loyalist death threat two years ago, said local people were very upset by the protests.

Fr Whyte said the protest degenerated into "a noisy chorus of sectarian verbal assault" and that "verbal threats of grave desecration" had been made.

Loyalists have been blamed for several attacks in the past on Carnmoney graveyard where headstones have been smashed and vandalised.

Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said the demonstration had no place in a civilised society. "Nationalists will be watching very closely the response of unionist politicians to this disgraceful behaviour in the coming days.

"There is now an onus on unionist and loyalist politicians and community leaders to state very clearly on the record that Catholics have every right to remember their loved ones buried in this and every other graveyard," Mr Kelly said.

Glengormley Alliance councillor Tom Campbell, who attended the ceremony, also condemned the demonstrators.

Additional reporting PA