Ballymoney Councillor John Finlay has condemned the latest attack on Dunloy Orange Hall. The hall was damaged on Thursday night with sectarian graffiti painted over it including the words: "get out".
John Finlay, whose lodge sits in the hall, of which he is Master, described the latest attack as "sick" and said that Protestants have every right to be there.
The hall was built in 1896 but the demographics of the area have changed in the last few years.
John said:
“I out rightly condemn this latest attack on Dunloy Orange Hall and call upon all such attacks to stop.
This is the second attack on this hall in less than a week and is clearly in retaliation for attacks carried out in the North Antrim area on Catholic Churches and GAA Halls on Wednesday night. As I have said before, I call upon people within the Unionist and loyalist family not to retaliate.
I ask the people responsible for such attacks: what do they achieve? The answer is nothing.
The attacks on Orange Halls are clearly an attack on Protestants' and our heritage. Protestants and Unionists have every right to be in Dunloy as well as Rasharkin. We're not going anywhere.
Our culture is hundreds of years old and Protestants have lived in the area for generations. Protestants will not be intimidated out.
I call upon leaders within the Republican community to act and work to stop future attacks. I also call for the arrest of all those responsible for these sectarian attacks and for them to be brought before the courts.” the DUP Councillor said.
