Following Gerry Adams speech in West Belfast on Sunday when he said that the silence has been deafening from the main Unionist parties regarding condemnation of violence, Ulster Unionist Councillor Mark Cosgrove said:
“Given Gerry Adams` huge and growing credibility gap, I am not surprised by his latest factually incorrect comments. It is clear that Gerry Adams obviously hasn't been back in this part of the United Kingdom lately.
“Unlike Mr Adams and his colleagues, the Ulster Unionist Party has always had no difficulty in saying that violence is wrong.
“We have said that consistently during the summer. Violence is never the answer no matter how frustrated people are.
“The legacy of such violence is everywhere in our society in the form of the thousands of victims of terrorism and the wasted lives of those who were either incarcerated or who gained a non-custodial criminal record which has decimated their family life and employment prospects to name just two areas that are affected.
“We will always promote and defend the right of aggrieved citizens to peaceful protests as these are basic rights in any democratic society.
“Unlike Gerry Adams, the Ulster Unionist Party has always tried to do what`s right for Northern Ireland and its citizens.”