School dispute pupils pray for US victims

Pupils walked to school through a silent protest

Parents and children from Holy Cross Girls' Primary have said prayers and held a minute's silence for the victims of the atrocities in America.

The short service was led by parish priest Father Aidan Troy on Wednesday before the group made its way through security escort to the school on the eighth day of the dispute.

Loyalists have been protesting about alleged attacks on their homes by blocking the route of Catholic children to their school in a Protestant area of the district.

The protest by Glenbryn residents, who met the Secretary of State, John Reid, at Hillsborough Castle in an effort to resolve the dispute on Tuesday, continued with a silent demonstration as the pupils passed with their parents.

Whether it's a bomb at Canary Wharf or whether it's a famine in Kenya there are still tragedies here which we have to focus on

Stuart McCartney Protestant youth worker

Residents are expected to make a statement about the situation on Wednesday.

Father Troy said the people of the area wanted to show their solidarity with the victims of the New York and Washington attacks.

"There are many children whose parents didn't come home and in solidarity with all those who died we will hold a minute's silence," he said.

Youth worker Stewart McCartney said Protestant residents had talked about calling the protest off but added: "Whether it's a bomb at Canary Wharf or whether it's a famine in Kenya there are still tragedies here which we have to focus on."

Referring to Tuesdays meeting with Dr Reid, Mr McCartney said: "All I am prepared to say is that we appreciate the fact that the secretary of state took the time to hear the issues from our mouths, there isn't many people who have been prepared to do that."

As the parents returned from leaving their children at the school, protesters again blew whistles and sounded air horns.

On Tuesday, exploratory talks between representatives of loyalist protesters and the board of governors at the school took place.

The meeting, involving Protestant residents from the Glenbryn estate, lasted just over an hour.