Orange Order refuses to apologise for Belfast riots

14/09/2005 - 10:29:33
The Orange Order has refused to apologise for the loyalist riots in the North over the past few days, despite being blamed by the PSNI for sparking the violence.

Speaking at a press conference today, Orange Order Grand Master Robert Saulters described the trouble as a cry of desperation from the Protestant community.

The riots, which left scores of police officers injured, was sparked by an Orange parade that was banned from the nationalist Springfield Road.

Mr Saulters today refused to apologise for the order's decision to call on as many people as possible to attend the march as a protest against the re-routing, saying that would not be fair.

He also accused the PSNI of brutality during the violence and said the police and the British Government were both telling lies about the situation.