Audio interview with Conall McDevitt, SDLP MLA for Belfast South, by Stephen Nolan for BBC Radio Ulster the Nolan Show on 14 December 2012. On 3 December Belfast City Council voted to only fly the Union flag above City Hall on designated days rather than the entire calendar year. The motion was supported by Sinn Fein, the SDLP and the Alliance Party. This decision led to public protests by sections of the unionist community across Northern Ireland, but particularly in Belfast, during December 2012 and early January 2013. In some areas PSNI members were attacked and death threats were sent to Northern Ireland politicians, including McDevitt. Two DUP members were also warned of death threats apparently from dissident republicans during this period. Conall McDevitt discusses the impact of the flag protests on the political process in Northern Ireland. The Nolan Show is a daily current affairs programme on BBC Radio Ulster.
Date of Release/Broadcast: 14 December 2012
Name of First Interviewee: Conall McDevitt
Role at time of Interview: SDLP MLA for Belfast South
Interviewer: Stephen Nolan
Purpose: News
Media: Audio
Copyright: BBC © 2012
Link: Listen to the interview
Programme/Book/Article: BBC Radio Ulster The Nolan Show
Time Period covered: 2012
Key Individuals: Conall McDevitt, Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness
Key Words: Flag, SDLP, DUP, Sinn Fein, protest, Alliance Party, PSNI, violence, youth, democratisation