A public meeting will be held tonight in Rasharkin to discuss why a loyalist band parade was allowed to be re-routed through the village at midnight two weeks ago.

Residents of the Co Antrim village saw the controversial parade re-routed at the last minute because of a bomb scare at an Orange hall. The march did not conclude until after midnight on Saturday morning.

Sinn Fein has claimed that the re-routing was illegal because it was not cleared by the Parades Commission. The PSNI and the Parades Commission have been invited to speak at the meeting in Rasharkin Community Centre at 7.30pm.

North Antrim Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay said: “Residents have been critical of the way the parade was handled by the Parades Commission and the PSNI. They will have a series of questions to put to them regarding the decisions they took.

“The sectarian intimidation, criminal damage and general disorder that this parade brings to the village must not be allowed to take place again.

“It is up to groups such as these to ensure that the rights of residents living here are upheld.”