🎥 Breaking the law because you disagree with it is not a new road for Sinn Féin. Jon Burrows MLA reminded the Assembly where the argument that there is "no alternative" has led before: town centres bombed, children orphaned, women widowed, and the murders of three year old Johnathan Ball and 12 year old Tim Parry in Warrington. The rule of law applies to us all.

✍️Statement from Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA regarding Drumcree. “Tonight a legal right was defeated by an unlawful blockade. That is a serious blow to the rule of law, and the precedent reaches far beyond parading. Whatever people across Northern Ireland think about Drumcree, and views differ widely, nobody should be comfortable with a lawful right being stopped because enough people were prepared to break the law. “For twenty eight years, Portadown District stopped because the law told them to stop. This time, they secured permission, defended it in court and sought mediation. Their peaceful conduct deserves recognition. Respecting the law must count for something. “Those who blocked that road broke the law in front of the cameras, were warned by police, and got exactly what they wanted. Their ministers will sit in government on Monday as if none of it happened. “They have what they wanted. They should not also get away with it. “The PSNI must pursue the evidence swiftly and impartially, including the conduct of Sinn Féin ministers and others involved in unlawfully blocking the road. From the First Minister down, political status must offer no protection from investigation or prosecution. The public deserve regular updates and visible progress. “There must also be meaningful reform on two fronts. “First, Stormont needs effective powers to exclude ministers who break the law. The current mechanisms are inadequate. No party should be able to shield its own ministers from accountability. Those entrusted with making the law have a particular responsibility to uphold it. “Second, I have asked the Secretary of State for stronger public processions legislation and tougher sanctions for breaches of parading and protest laws. The penalties must provide a credible deterrent. “I understand the policing bill has now reached around £5 million. That represents an enormous diversion of resources from protecting the public and investigating crime. Where an offender's conduct contributed to those costs and demands on policing, that should be treated as an aggravating factor at sentencing, reflecting their individual responsibility. The harm caused by lawbreaking does not end at the roadblock. “This is a challenge for unionism. To prosper, we need leadership that is smart, principled and focused on the long term. It is not those who shout the loudest who prevail in the long run, but those who think the smartest. “My message is clear: stay calm, respect the law and think strategically. Do not give anyone a reaction they can use to distract from their own conduct. “We will pursue accountability through the justice system, demand meaningful reform and make our case at the ballot box. Our principles must hold, especially when they are tested.”