Anti-immigration protester jailed over illegal march
Bernard Lavery was pictured at the front of an unnotified parade on 3 August
- Published
An anti-immigration protester who was at the front of an illegal parade in Belfast has been jailed for three months.
Bernard Lavery, 34, of Farnham Street in Belfast, was pictured at the front of the march on 3 August, which was followed by serious rioting on the city’s streets.
He pleaded guilty at Belfast Magistrates’ Court to taking part in an unnotified public procession.
His defence solicitor said Lavery attended the event without realising that the parade would be against the law.
'Tried to calm the situation'
In Northern Ireland the Parades Commission must be notified of a parade at least 28 days before the event is due to take place.
Lavery said he attended the event in an “observational role” and tried to prevent the subsequent disorder.
After the anti-immigration protest at Belfast City Hall, some of the crowd moved towards south Belfast, where businesses were subjected to racially-motivated attacks.
There is no suggestion that Lavery targeted any of those premises.
The court was told he was seen at the front of the crowd, waving an Irish tricolour.
“He appeared to turn and direct it at the crowd as they walked,” a prosecution lawyer added.
The defence lawyer claimed that his client had been notified via social media and flyers posted in through his letter box.
“When he was there and realised things were spiralling out of control he tried to act in a way to calm the situation down.”
'Subject of quite vitriolic commentary'
The lawyer added that Lavery "attracted a degree of prominence because of the proximity of someone with an Irish Tricolour standing beside somebody with the Union Jack".
The said that his client "has been the subject of quite vitriolic commentary in the media since then".
Following his guilty plea to taking part in the illegal march, the judge told Lavery his offence "does cross the custody threshold".
She added that the march led to "extreme disorder in the city".