DUP leader defends MP who attended Palestine solidarity counter-demonstration

Earlier, Hazzard told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that what happened in Scarva, which is in his constituency of South Down, was "completely unacceptable".

"While families were taking part in a peaceful walk to raise awareness for humanitarian aid for dying children in Gaza an MP was front and centre of a hostile, masked mob whose sole aim was intimidation," Hazzard said.

"Carla's claim that she was there to deescalate is frankly pathetic," he said.

"Images clearly show Carla standing not near, but shoulder to shoulder with masked men acting as a political shield for thugs who were chanting vile sectarian and racist abuse," Hazzard added.

"Carla didn't calm tensions, she emboldened them and is dragging us back to a past that we have left behind."

Speaking on the same programme, Lockhart said that when she arrived in Scarva on Saturday "the police had blocked bridge, which was a designated area for the protest to take place".

"That immediately made a bad situation worse," Lockhart said.

"Protesters made their way to an area which was an unfinished development. The PSNI came in very heavy," she said.

"I, along with my colleagues, had to intervene, had to de-escalate, had to negotiate with police, encourage the community and were able to keep what could have been an absolute bloodbath very quiet, peaceful and ultimately no incidents out of Saturday's occasion."

When questioned on the allegation that she was front and centre of the masked men, Lockhart said it was "utter, utter rubbish".

Hazzard told Good Morning Ulster that there were "plenty of people" in Scarva, including photographers and people videoing.

"People can see very, very clearly the actions of Carla on the day," Hazzard said.

"A public representative not near but in the midst, front and centre, of masked men, 2026, of masked men standing on the side of a towpath, intimidating shouting vile sectarian racist abuse at families who were walking to raise awareness of genocide and to raise funds for children who are dying in Gaza," he said.

Hazzard said there is "no place for masked men, paramilitary style face coverings in broad daylight".

Lockhart said she does not "want to see anyone with their face covered, whether it be on the parade or protesters".

"But what I was dealing with was a number of protesters in a building site with lots of debris, lots of things there that could have potentially escalated," she said.

"I worked with the PSNI and the community. I told the PSNI I would stand with the protestors to ensure peaceful and that nothing would happen on the side of the protesters and that's exactly what happened."

The Parades Commission gave permission for the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign march with conditions, as well as the counter protest.

"The investigation of suspected criminal offences resulting from alleged breaches of the Commission's determinations is a matter for the Police Service of Northern Ireland," the Commission said in a statement.

"In accordance with its usual practice, the Commission will consider all of the information available to it and take account of it in the event of any future notifications of similar events being made to it."