3 September 2001

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RUC allow loyalists to attack parents

North Belfast Sinn Fein councillor Margaret McClenaghan has hit out at the RUC after they failed to act to allow nationalist school children out of Holy Cross Primary School and allowed loyalists to pass through their lines and attack parents.

Councillor McClenaghan said:

``This afternoon as school children were due to leave school they were prevented from doing so by a large crowd of loyalists. When asked to clear a way to allow the children to leave the RUC refused to do so.

``As parents attempted to then collect their children a loyalist mob was allowed to pass through the RUC's lines to attack the parents with bricks, bottles and what was believed to have been an acid bomb. One parent was badly injured - many others were lucky to escape injury.

``From the outset the RUC have, at best, displayed a half-hearted attitude to dealing with the loyalists who were blocking the children's way to school. Their inaction this afternoon highlights the very real sectarian nature of the force. Their ambivalence in dealing with loyalists stands in sharp contrast to their treatment of nationalists in North Belfast.'' ENDS

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