Statement by TUV party chairman Cusher councillor Keith Ratcliffe:
“What happened in Scarva on Saturday should never have been allowed to happen.
“I formally objected to this parade in advance warning both the PSNI and the Parades Commission that it was deeply inappropriate to route a politically-charged march through a quiet Unionist village with strong support for Israel. Those warnings were ignored. The result was entirely predictable: provocation, disorder, and division.
“We were told the parade would stick to the towpath. Instead, participants made their way onto Scarva Main Street. Residents were confronted with chanting that included pro-IRA slogans and the antisemitic cry of “From the river to the sea” — a slogan rightly recognised as a call for the destruction of the state of Israel.
“This was not a peaceful demonstration. It was a deliberate and coordinated display designed to provoke. The failure of the PSNI to properly monitor or restrict this parade, and the Parades Commission’s refusal to impose even the most basic conditions, raises serious questions.
“I have written to both bodies demanding answers:
• Why was this event deemed non-contentious?
• Why was no action taken when marchers deviated from the route?
• Why were chants glorifying terrorism and calling for the destruction of a nation tolerated on our streets?
“Residents were placed in an entirely avoidable situation — one that could and should have been prevented. There must now be a serious review of how this parade was approved, routed, and policed.
“I will not remain silent when Unionist communities are disrespected and when public order is sacrificed for political convenience. Those responsible for these decisions must be held to account.”