1916 Societies says members raised Tricolour over Stormont

Members of the 1916 Societies were responsible for erecting the Tricolour and the green flag of the Irish Republic over Parliament Buildings, Stormont, last week, the organisation has said.

The 1916 Societies, a new Irish independence movement founded in 2009, said that on June 3rd it took advantage of “lax security” at Stormont to access the roof of the building and “raise the Irish national flag and its sister flag, the flag of the Irish Republic”.

“While only a symbolic gesture, nevertheless the actions concerned reflect the enduring reality that six Irish counties remain under foreign dominion, against the democratically expressed wishes of the Irish people,” it said.

"Our intent was to further awareness of this matter at a time when the normalisation agenda of the British state, aided by local proxies of various political hue, continues unabated in its drive to legitimise the continuing occupation of Ireland. "

DUP Assembly member Paula Bradley said while the 1916 Societies had waited a week before claiming responsibility, "their comments underscore the importance of ensuring there is a proper investigation into what occurred. Regardless of whether their claim is true or not, it still remains that access was gained to a supposedly secure area."

The Orange Order condemned the flying of the flags.

“While such rogue and nonsensical action may appease a flawed republican ideology, it clearly went against the democratic wishes of the majority pro-union community in this Province,” it said.