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This Week´s Spectator

NORTH Down´s Mayor has demanded Union and Ulster flags flown across Bangor as a peaceful protest by local Loyalists be removed.

The flags were erected throughout the town a few weeks ago as simmering Loyalist frustrations with council over issues such as flag flying and bonfires boiled over.

As calls to remove the flags grow, the action has been labelled a "chilling message of intimidation" by a local politician.

The Spectator understands that through the council´s Good Relations Working Group and Bonfire Management Programme, seven bonfire sites in North Down were agreed and a grant of £700 was made to each bonfire committee.

It is believed local Loyalists began their protest after becoming angered by the decision to reduce this grant to £550 for the Rathgill bonfire as punishment for starting collection too early and placing the bonfire too close to a new housing estate.

This week, new Alliance Mayor Tony Hill made calls to reduce the number of flags on display following talks with the ICCP (Intra Community Cohesion Project), which erected the flags.

He said, "I know most residents of the borough object to the sheer number of flags on display in the town centre area this year.

"The general view is that this is bad for local retailers and local tourism. The council has been working hard, since their erection, to bring some of them down by consensus.