CONCERN is growing that tonight's Mass in Harryville, a predominantly Protestant area in Ballymena, will take place amidst further loyalist violence and sectarian demonstrations.
The Ulster Unionist Party mayor of Ballymena, Mr James Currie, and other Protestants plan to appear outside the Church of Our Lady in support of local Catholics tonight. But loyalist protesters have said their demonstrations would continue until Orangemen could parade in Dunloy.
Tension is reflected in continuing attacks on Catholic homes and property in Ballymena. On Thursday and yesterday there were four arson attacks on Catholic schools, and a Catholic mother, her daughter and a male friend were attacked and assaulted.
These incidents are being associated with the Harryville protests. Local SDLP representative Mr Sean Farren warned of "deep-rooted sectarian bigotry" and said further escalation of the violence would be of grave concern and could spread throughout the North.
The local priest in Harryville, the Rev Frank Mutlan said: "If this was happening on the British mainland outside a Jewish synagogue or a Muslim mosque" there would be national outrage."
The decision by the Progressive Unionist Party spokesman Mr David Ervine to cancel his plans to appear outside the church tonight, however, was viewed as disappointing. He said his presence might not be conducive to solving the problem.
One theory is that his U-turn is the result of pressure from within sections of the UVF, to which the PUP is linked. Speaking at the Northern Ireland Forum yesterday, Mr Hugh Smyth of the PUP denied any paramilitary involvement in the protest. He accused some mainstream unionist politicians of encouraging Protestants to take to the streets and then washing their hands of the protest when it got out of control.
The DUP leader and local MP, the Rev Ian Paisley, blamed loyalist paramilitaries for the protests and violence.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, appealed for calm and urged "an end to the concentrated attempt by loyalist elements to intimidate and terrorise Catholics in Ballymena".
The UUP leader Mr David Trimble called for the police to be more "pro-active" in dealing with the protesters.