Man living in home where wheelie bin was thrown at loyalist band wants a ‘new house’

Francis Lagan, from Agincourt Avenue, off Belfast’s Ormeau Road, maintains his nerves are wrecked as a result of a Twelfth morning drama when members of a loyalist band converged on his home.

“I just want a quiet life,” Francis told the Sunday World this week.

“The last thing I need is people rowing out in the street. People around here have their own problems. And they should be able to go about their business without any of this happening.”

The 32 year-old – who had no involvement in the incident – says the tranquillity of the area was smashed on the Twelfth morning seconds after a loyalist band marched past the terraced house he shares with a number of other adults.

A tricolour was fluttering from a first-floor window as the band processed along the quiet street.

And after a recycling bin was thrown at the band, a drummer from the Bangor Protestant Boys was allegedly caught on camera entering the front garden. It is understood he allegedly hurled a wheelie bin through a downstairs window.

Visiting the property this week, theSunday Worldwas told the Agincourt Avenue house is multi-tenanted. And the ground floor flat is rented to an elderly woman who lives alone.

But it is also understood the bandsman in the film may have been reacting to a commotion seconds before when a missile – believed to be a recycling bin – was allegedly thrown in the direction of the band.

The tense situation quickly escalated. And it threatened to get out of hand when other bandsmen converged on the property.

But two police officers who had been escorting the Bangor band intervened immediately. And as they attempted to detain a man in the front garden area, he retreated inside, closing the door behind him.

Together with members of the Orange Order, the officers instructed the band members to resume the parade and move on.

Later in the afternoon police returned to the property where they removed a wheelie bin from the front garden. It was placed in the rear of a police Land Rover before the officers drove off.

But, unknown to all of those involved, the entire incident was recorded on a mobile phone. When the footage landed on the Sunday Worldnews desk minutes later, we published it and it soon went viral.

The riveting footage attracted huge interest right around the globe, with hundreds of comments coming in from across Ireland, the UK and the Unites States.

But now Agincourt Avenue resident Francis Lagan is demanding the authorities act immediately to find him alternative accommodation as soon as possible.

Francis told the Sunday World: “I live a quiet life or at least I did until this happened. I don’t give offence to anyone.

“I just mind my own business and I like others to do the same. There are people around here who like to play Irish rebel songs all day, but not me.

“If that kind of thing goes on, then it’s only a matter of time before there is a price to pay.

“I need to be settled and I want to get a move away from here as soon as possible.”

He added: “I’ve asked the authorities for a move and I want out as soon as possible.” Francis’s mum Margaret arrived soon afterwards to check on her stressed-out son.

And she told us: “My son needs to get out of here and the sooner the better.”

A spokesman for the PSNI said: “A 46-year-old man arrested following an incident in the Agincourt Avenue area of south Belfast on Tuesday 12th July, has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.”

Yesterday, the front ground floor window which had been smashed on the 12th of July incident was boarded up.

And the Irish tricolour flag continued to fly from a first-floor window.