Social MediaThe Apprentice Boys of Derry has issued an unreserved apology after an image was widely circulated on social media, appearing to show some members urinating near homes in Londonderry.
General secretary David Hoey condemned the incident in the Culmore Road area on Saturday as “disgusting” and “unacceptable” and said the loyal order would now try to identify the men involved.
More than 10,000 members took part in the annual celebrations on Saturday.
It is one of the biggest loyal order parades in Northern Ireland and marks the anniversary of the ending of the Siege of Derry in 1689.
APOD‘Unacceptable’
Mr Hoey told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme that the incident had undermined what was otherwise a “successful day”.
“We have had messages from associations across the country saying how disgusted they were about this,” Mr Hoey said.
“The governor made it clear last week that if you come to Londonderry, you respect Londonderry and you respect the city.
“We can only unreservedly apologise to the people of Culmore Road – they should not have had to see that.”
He stressed that the city “is in the heart and at the heart of our association” and that such actions “not only disrespected the city” but also undermined the purpose of the day itself.
“What was an otherwise successful day, let’s say, as it was a double-decker bus, about 40 or 50 people have ruined our image and created a social media storm,” he said.
“It simply shouldn’t have happened, and it has undermined all the good work that we have done over the past six months and it is unacceptable.”
Mr Hoey said the organisation would seek to identify those responsible and “deal with that robustly”.
He said there were “more toilet facilities than ever,” and “there was no excuse for it”.
“We are absolutely across every detail of the parade, and we have a new team this year working hard to get things more right moving forward,” he said.
In a post on social media, Sinn Féin assembly member Pádraig Delargy said: “Once again, visiting loyalist bands have shown a disgusting lack of respect for the people of Derry.
“Those organising these events must take responsibility and ensure we don’t see a repeat of these scenes and other offensive behaviour.”
‘A small minority creating issues’
Commenting on the incident, the SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said “respect must go both ways”.
“Every year Derry opens its doors for the Apprentice Boys’ march and other cultural events that are important to the unionist community,” Durkan said.
“While the vast majority of people take part in good faith and with positive intent, we have seen a small minority creating issues over the past few years.
“These events have for a long time stood as hallmark of tolerance and respect in the north, but it must be reciprocated.
He said the police had a difficult job in “managing these situations”, but “people can’t be allowed to act with impunity”.
What is the Relief of Derry parade?
The Relief of Derry parade is held on the second Saturday in August each year, to commemorate the ending of the 105-day siege of the city in August 1689.
It took place against the background of an attempt by the deposed Catholic King James II to regain his crown from his Protestant son-in-law, King William III.
Also known as William of Orange, or King Billy, the new monarch was supported by Protestants in Derry, who shut the gates of the walled city to keep out the advancing Jacobite army.
The ending of the siege is known as the Relief of Derry.
