People are sickened by the jeering at a football match which marred a minute's silence for Progressive Unionist Party leader David Ervine, a colleague claimed today.
The late David Ervine
Veteran Belfast councillor Hugh Smyth, who Mr Ervine succeeded as the PUP's leader in 2002, condemned fans of the Belfast football club Cliftonville who disrupted a tribute to the loyalist politician who died on Monday.
Large sections of the Cliftonville supporters spoiled the minute's silence before their club's clash with Glentoran — the east Belfast team which Mr Ervine avidly supported. Councillor Smyth said: "People are sickened by it. It was always David's ambition to bring people together."
Mr Ervine (53) died on Monday after suffering a heart attack, stroke and brain haemorrhage over the weekend. Tributes have poured in to him from across the world and across the political divide in Northern Ireland. Among those who sent messages of support to the Ervine family were Prime Minister Tony Blair, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Senator George Mitchell who chaired the talks the PUP leader participated in which led to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
One Small Step founder Trevor Ringland
Councillor Smyth welcomed the decision by Belfast Lord Mayor Pat McCarthy today to call a special council meeting on Friday to enable members to pay their respects to their former council colleague. "Naturally I'm delighted," he said.
"It's something the council does normally when a member dies. "It's good that councillors from all the parties will get the chance to give their condolences to the family." The special council meeting will take place before Mr Ervine's funeral service in east Belfast.
The SDLP mayor of the city expressed the sense of loss in the council. "David will be missed in council and his community," Mr McCarthy said.
"It is a very sad occasion" Mr McCarthy's party leader Mark Durkan also tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons today, enabling MPs to offer their condolences to Mr Ervine's wife Janette and two sons, Mark and Owen.
The motion, which has been signed by 10 MPs including the Liberal Democrats' Northern Ireland-born MP Lembit Opik, former Northern Ireland Office minister Jane Kennedy and the SDLP's South Down MP Eddie McGrady, singled out the PUP leader's contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process.
Respects were also paid to Mr Ervine by the former Ireland rugby international, Trevor Ringland who chairs the One Small Step campaign aimed at encouraging accomodation between the two communities in Northern Ireland.
Mr Ringland said: "His view of the future was one that was to be shared in a constructive way by all, other politicians can learn much from his willingness to engage with everyone. "My thoughts are with his family, friends and the community he served, trying to give the type of leadership that was and is so badly needed."
PA