Debate contribution: Display of Flags and Emblems Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Mr Colm Gildernew on .
- MLA
- Mr Colm Gildernew
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 7 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Display of Flags and Emblems Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5670856
Read the official Assembly record
Text
A chairde
, over the summer period and, indeed, over previous summers, we saw the erection of emblems of a racist, sectarian and hate-filled, criminal nature in Moygashel in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. We have also seen the targeting of Killyman GAA club, with a threatening and sinister poster having been in place outside the club grounds since 2020, causing great distress for children and others participating in their games and other club activities. In recent weeks, flags praising the loyalist killer Billy Wright have been erected on lamp posts close to Dungannon Park on the main Moy Road, which is one of the key routes into our town. The erection of such flags is a clear attempt to create division and fear in our community in a shared space. They are a crude attempt at marking out territory. That type of intimidation and provocation must be condemned by all, and calls must be made for the removal of those flags. Families in our area whose loved ones were murdered by Wright and his gang, as well as members of the wider public, are being forced to walk and drive past those obscene displays daily on their way to work, to access services and to enjoy their local park. That is completely unacceptable.
I will in a minute. The presence of such displays also hinders the work that many of us are engaged in with the newly formed chamber and the wider business and retail sector in Dungannon town to develop and improve the ability of our businesses to attract footfall, trade and opportunities to assist them in what is already a difficult time for our town-centre traders. I give way now.
No flag or emblem should be used to promote or create fear. Everyone should be able to go about their daily business without being confronted by symbols that are deliberately designed and erected to intimidate, to offend, to provoke or to incite sectarianism and hatred. Sin é.
332 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not qualifying”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.12 (qualifying needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not qualifying).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- The text criticises or condemns the framing or division (1.00).
- Subject area: Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-qualifying threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.25 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.05 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.19 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.11 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.15 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.47 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.12 | At or below not-qualifying threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.64 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.33 |
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.03 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 01:21 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9. This record has been assessed 3 times; the latest assessment is shown.
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