Borough's community relations 'vastly improved'
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Mayor Maurice Mills hailed the borough's "improved" community relations last week before criticising Sinn Fein MLA Daithi McKay, who he accused of making an "inaccurate and inflammatory" statement on the issue.
Earlier this month, Mr McKay claimed that it was only a matter of time before there is another sectarian murder in Ballymena, a comment which "appalled" SDLP MLA Declan O'Loan and which was described by the Mayor as "incredulous".
Meanwhile, the veteran DUP man also took aim at the BBC's Panorama programme, a recent episode of which investigated sectarianism in the town, and invited all parties to the Braid next month "to hear that the majority of young people living in Ballymena are showing a willingness to live and work together despite their different religious and cultural backgrounds".
Mr McKay made the shocking claim to the Chief Constable at a recent meeting of the Policing Board of which he is a member.
He said: "The police themselves admit that Ballymena has a high rate of sectarian attacks compared to other parts of the North and it shows no sign of abiting.
“There is clearly a gang culture here in the town and that is where many of these sectarian attacks are emanating from. What is particulary concerning is the fact that minors are becoming increasingly involved in this behaviour, something that became clear when Michael McIlveen was killed in the town.
“Much more needs to be done to tackle this problem, not only from the police but also by political representatives in the area. I know of cases where people cannot even venture out of their homes for fear of attack. In this day and age it is unacceptable that local people's freedom of movement is compromised because of sectarian thugs."
