The opening of a security gate at Flax Street in North Belfast is a “significant day” for a community that was “hemmed in” by the barrier.
Elaine Burns, Centre Manager at the Ardoyne Association, welcomed the opening of the heavy-duty gate which had “closed the community in” for around 36 years.
The gate was closed in the 1980s, but calls to re-open it have been voiced for a number of years. There has, however, been some opposition to the plan, fuelled largely by concerns about interface linked disorder. The DUP on Wednesday expressed ‘alarm’ at the news, while Sinn Fein said they are ‘delighted’.
