Rally in Coleraine hears concerns around immigration

A rally in Coleraine has heard concerns around immigration, as well as challenges from a counter protest.

The event was billed as the launch of a movement called Our Northern Ireland Voice.

It calls for stopping HMOs (houses in multiple occupation), closing “migrant hotels”, deporting all illegal immigrants immediately and keeping “our children safe”.

Around 200 hundred people heard speakers outside Coleraine Town Hall, while trade union members staged a counter protest nearby.

The rally finished with a procession around the Co Londonderry town amid a police presence.

Speakers included Richard Inman who told those assembled of a “spiritual battle” against a “great evil that has come upon these islands in the last 50 years”.

The counter protest played music and chanted slogans during the speeches.

Mr Inman continued: “I call it the great army of darkness, the Islamists, the communists, and the globalists, and that’s who we’re fighting against.”

He told the counter protest that he was “louder than you’ll ever be” to cheers from his supporters.

He went on to say he genuinely believes that there are people in political parties “that are evil and satanic”, and criticised the legalisation of abortion.

“Northern Ireland used to be a heartland, it was the bible belt of Christianity in Europe, and we’re losing that,” he added.

Dan Grundle criticised Belfast as having become “unrecognisable”, as well as in Coleraine, referencing “hotels full of migrants” and condemning a “housing crisis”.

“We need to start demanding accountability from the so-called people in charge,” he added.

Later, Nipsa deputy general secretary Patrick Mulholland responded by challenging Our Northern Ireland Voice, claiming it had “promised 2,500, and they turned out 200”.

A number from the rally heckled as Mr Mulholland said in 1984 the National Front tried to march in Coleraine, and were “seen off by the organised working class”.

He contended that the current leader of the National Front, Tony Martin, was in attendance, and said those ideas “belong in 1984”, to cheers from the counter protest.

“We have a message for any ordinary people who have been polluted by the snake oil salesmen of the far right, and our message to them is, we welcome a conversation and a discussion with you about what the future should look like with homes for all,” he said.