Imperial Grand Lodge Statement - Sinn Fein's Funeral Farce

OPINION PIECE

The Editor of the Orange Independent

At a time when the Independent Loyal Orange Institution and its bands have shown restraint, discipline and selflessness in putting public safety and the National Health Service above our own traditions and culture we are disgusted by the recent show of strength at the funeral of notorious terrorist Bobby Storey. We are mindful of the many people who have had to experience the hurt and anguish of not being able to attend funerals for their loved ones, most notably the eight other families not allowed into Roselawn Crematorium to attend cremation services for their loved ones on the same day.

This was no ordinary funeral it was a terrorist movement taking to our streets to flex its muscles. Republicanism is a ‘cult of the dead’ and it is the way they pass on their hatred and violence from one generation to the next. It should come as no surprise then that they hold the lives of their fellow citizens of Northern Ireland in such low regard given their past. However we should expect more from a movement that is in Government and we will not accept this. There was a call from our Twelfth platform in years before for another O’Neill to go, and that call is heard once more from our community – “O’Neill Must Go”.

The entire Sinn Fein/IRA funeral operation has been shrouded in secrecy no doubt in the hope that their behaviour would go unnoticed. However judging by previous funerals we can no doubt expect not only breaches in the present laws around social distancing but also also that Sinn Fein Leaders were literally and metaphorically rubbing shoulders with known IRA Godfathers. In the picture below displayed on Sinn Fein’s social media it is clear to see how one of these events are organised. Here we see Michelle O’Neill and Mary Lou McDonald alongside Sean Gerard Hughes who many believe is the most senior member of the IRA. Nicknamed ‘The Surgeon’ by security forces, he is a close associate of Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy, and was named in Westminster under Parliamentary privilege in November 2007 as having authorised the murder of Paul Quinn in south Armagh.

We need urgent action both from Belfast City Council and from the PSNI but instead we see the issue passed off to independent reviews. We see the Assembly condemn their actions yet powerless to sanction them. The only way to restore public confidence in a Government which continues to law down the law on social distancing and other restrictions is to see them follow their own advice and when they do not – have the decency to step down.

The following statement was issued by the Grand Master James Anderson

Grand Lodge Statement

We as an Institution are dismayed at the manner in which the Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Finance Minister Conor Murphy and other Sinn Fein members of the Northern Ireland Assembly have treated the people of our country by their attendance at the funeral of IRA man Bobby Storey on 30^th June 2020. By participating in this sinister display of Provisional IRA arrogance and strength, they blatantly broke the regulations set by the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly in respect of Covid 19, and have given a two-fingered salute to those of us who have diligently obeyed the law.

Ms O’ Neill has been in the lead in exhorting us to adhere to the restrictions at twice-weekly press conferences at Stormont, but she obviously thought the rules didn’t apply to her and her party members,. It would appear that in this country there is one rule for Sinn Fein and another for the rest of us.

Their actions are an insult to those who have had their loved ones buried and were not able to attend the funeral. Their action is as insulting to them as Barry Mc Elduff “loaf “gesture was to the Kingsmill victims. We saw what happened to him and the same should happen to those who attended the funeral.

We condemn the actions of the Sinn Fein Ministers and call upon them to resign with immediate effect. It is the least they can do.

We are also greatly concerned about the role played by Belfast City Council in allowing Sinn Fein to commandeer Roselawn Crematorium, and by the PSNI in seemingly helping to facilitate the planning of the funeral. The Council and the PSNI have serious questions to answer.

This farce has done little to instil public confidence in the institutions of government, and we urge all unionist elected representatives to diligently pursue those who have treated decent law-abiding citizens with contempt.  

James Anderson 

(Imperial Grand Master)

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