Ballydougan Hall attack is condemned

There has been widespread condemnation of a paint attack on Ballydougan Orange Hall at the weekend.
Ballydougan Orange Hall.  Malcolm Fulton, Secretary of Ballydougan LOL 120 together with Cllr Colin McCusker, Mayor of Craigavon and District Secretary of Lurgan LOL No 6 survey the damage caused to the Orange Hall.  INLM4914-412Ballydougan Orange Hall.  Malcolm Fulton, Secretary of Ballydougan LOL 120 together with Cllr Colin McCusker, Mayor of Craigavon and District Secretary of Lurgan LOL No 6 survey the damage caused to the Orange Hall.  INLM4914-412
Ballydougan Orange Hall. Malcolm Fulton, Secretary of Ballydougan LOL 120 together with Cllr Colin McCusker, Mayor of Craigavon and District Secretary of Lurgan LOL No 6 survey the damage caused to the Orange Hall. INLM4914-412

The doorway and walls of the hall were defaced in the incident, which is believed to have taken place between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The Bleary Road property is home to Ballydougan LOL 120, and has undergone extensive refurbishment in recent years.

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Mayor of Craigavon, Councillor Colin McCusker, district secretary of Lurgan LOL No 6, to which the Ballydougan lodge belongs, visited the building.

He said, “I consider the members of LOL120 to be personal friends, as my own private lodge walk directly behind them on the Twelfth, and many of the members I have known a lifetime.

“This attack sickens me. What type of person goes out of his way to gather up paint to throw all over a small country hall, well off the beaten track? These people are idiots who have nothing positive to offer our society and their actions only serve to sour community relations.”

Upper Bann MP David Simpson said, “I will be working with the PSNI and the Loyal Order to ensure that every effort is made in the future to protect our community facilities which are the very 
heartbeat of the rural areas.”

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Sinn Fein Deputy Mayor Catherine Seeley condemned the incident and called it “despicable”.

An Orange Order spokesman said the “mindless individuals behind this cowardly and underhanded crime” have nothing to offer society .

He added, “Ballydougan Orange Hall serves as a centre for events and social 
engagement in the locality; therefore, such moronic activity is an attack on the entire community and serves no purpose.”

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