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New York St Patrick's Day parade to include Northern Irish police New York St Patrick's Day parade to include Northern Irish police
(35 minutes later)
Manhattan's famous St Patrick's Day parade will include officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland for the first time this year.Manhattan's famous St Patrick's Day parade will include officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland for the first time this year.
In the 1980s, organisers of the world's largest St Patrick's Day festival once chose as its chief marcher Joe Doherty, a Belfast IRA member who was unable to attend because he was imprisoned in a New York penitentiary while awaiting extradition to the UK.In the 1980s, organisers of the world's largest St Patrick's Day festival once chose as its chief marcher Joe Doherty, a Belfast IRA member who was unable to attend because he was imprisoned in a New York penitentiary while awaiting extradition to the UK.
Doherty was part of the IRA's "M60 gang" – named after the heavy machine gun smuggled from the United States that was used to attack police and troops in the 1970s and early 80s. Doherty was part of the IRA's "M60 gang" – named after the heavy machine gun smuggled from the US that was used to attack police and troops in the 1970s and early 80s.
This year, PSNI officers will parade alongside their colleagues in the Garda Síochána on 17 March.This year, PSNI officers will parade alongside their colleagues in the Garda Síochána on 17 March.
The six PSNI officers were chosen to take part in the event because of their participation in the World Police and Fire Games held in Belfast last year. The delegation will be led by a chief inspector.The six PSNI officers were chosen to take part in the event because of their participation in the World Police and Fire Games held in Belfast last year. The delegation will be led by a chief inspector.
The PSNI assistant chief constable Alistair Finlay said: "We are delighted to have six officers in New York representing the PSNI and participating in the St Patrick's Day parade." The PSNI assistant chief constable, Alistair Finlay, said: "We are delighted to have six officers in New York representing the PSNI and participating in the St Patrick's Day parade."
New York's parade, however, remains controversial because of the continued exclusion of Irish gay groups.New York's parade, however, remains controversial because of the continued exclusion of Irish gay groups.
The city's own mayor, Bill de Blasio, is boycotting the 2014 parade because of the decades-old ban on LGBT groups from marching in the parade due to the opposition of conservative Catholic Irish Americans. The city's own mayor, Bill de Blasio, is boycotting the 2014 parade because of the decades-old ban on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups from marching in the parade due to the opposition of conservative Catholic Irish Americans.
The Irish cabinet minister Joan Burton turned down an invitation to the New York parade in protest at the exclusion of LGBT groups being officially represented on the march.The Irish cabinet minister Joan Burton turned down an invitation to the New York parade in protest at the exclusion of LGBT groups being officially represented on the march.