Legal action threatened in flag row (From Salisbury Journal)
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Legal action threatened in flag row
4:11pm Friday 11th January 2013 in National News © Press Association 2013
The Union flag was flown over Belfast City Hall on Wednesday to mark the Duchess of Cambridge's birthday
Legal action has been threatened by the Democratic Unionist Party over the decision to restrict the flying of the Union flag as pressure grows for violent protests to stop.
One of Northern Ireland's most senior Protestant ministers called on loyalists to end "intolerable" attacks on police.
They followed Belfast City Council's vote to hoist the emblem at City Hall only on designated days like royal birthdays. Officers have been pelted with bricks, petrol bombs and other missiles, leaving dozens injured.
Unionist politicians tried to find common ground within a community forum considering ways to move beyond demonstrations but insisted it is not a step towards a single unionist party.
Presbyterian Moderator Dr Roy Patton said: "The situation being faced by the police is intolerable and in keeping order on our streets and bringing people before the courts the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) must have the full support of all who want to see an end to this violence."
There have been nearly 40 days of protests over the council's decision to fly the flag on 18 designated days.
The DUP group on the council claimed the change breached the organisation's equality scheme and made a formal complaint. Group secretary John Hussey said: "The DUP is committed to pursuing all political avenues to overturning the disastrous decision by Sinn Fein, SDLP and the Alliance party and to repairing the harm to good relations and a shared future it has caused."
Despite weeks of flag-waving pickets and road blocks in parts of Belfast, some producing full-scale riots with 66 officers hurt, councillors have vowed not to reverse their decision. The Alliance Party, which controls the balance of power on the council, has said the designated days option was in line with a recommendation from Northern Ireland's Equality Commission as an approach which would promote good relations between nationalists and unionists.
A Belfast City Council spokeswoman said: "The decision to introduce the policy of flying the Union flag at City Hall was taken democratically by elected members at the monthly meeting of Belfast City Council on December 3.
"The council has taken legal advice throughout this process and the decision is in keeping with the outcome of the equality impact assessment that was undertaken in line with the advice of the Equality Commission. The designated days agreed are in keeping with those notified by the UK Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport."
